Sorry the contest has ended... 
for The Whole Story click here
to see names suggested click here

(More Yoda photos to come...)

here's Yoda crossing 
Lake Champlain on a ferry

and here's Yoda on a
Canadian off-road adventure

in the Loess Hills near Pisgah Iowa

NEW WHEELS NEED A NAME

Some of you may remember Chuck, the now-legendary "flying" Jeep that I was driving a few years back.  Well, after a few not-so-great experiences with vintage station wagons, I am driving an SUV again.  This one is different.  No, it can't fly, but it does have lower miles than anything I've ever owned before! 

A few months ago, as my 200,000-mile old beater began to show signs of deterioration, Gail and I began to discuss the need for a replacement vehicle.  "You're not getting another old clunker!" she insisted, "I want you driving something reliable!"  "Awww, well..." I sighed, "...Okay"  As you know, I've always had a soft spot for classic wheels (you can't tell how good a car is until it's gone 100 thousand miles or so), but we found a good deal on a 99 Toyota 4Runner with (gasp!) only 30,000 miles on the odometer!  I don't know how to handle myself with such luxury... but I'm getting used to it.

Which brings me to the really important issue... what to call it.  Not that a vehicle really needs a name, of course, but giving it one also gives it personality.  What would my life have been like without Melvin, Yoko, or Chuck?  And so with great fanfare I announce the "Pin-the-Appellation-on-the-Auto" contest.  Suggest a name for my new ride, make as many suggestions as you like.  The one I chose will win... uh, an autographed picture of the car?  your name in lights on my website?  a million dollars?(probably not)

Okay, we have a winner!  The winning entry is "Yoda", submitted by Mark Brown of Colorado Springs!  Most of you know I'm a bit of a sci-fi buff, so exploring the universe with the Jedi master is a natural.  As one might expect, comparisons to the legendary "Chuck" are unavoidable.  Oh well, Yoda can't fly, of course, but he can jump really high...

For his prize, Mark asked for a Kyle Knapp concert in his home town.  Well, we aim to please... the concert is scheduled for July 3rd 2003, in Mark's living room... ta-da!

By the way, even if you didn't win the contest, I'd still love to give a performance in your town.  If you have an idea of where/how such a thing might be set up,  please feel free to suggest it here.

Contest entries included:

• Yoda (or Yota, short for Toyota)

• Roadrunner

• the original K-Car

• the Sollymobile (in memory of Gail's dad)

• Classy Cassy (CC for short)

• Richard the Deep Breather

• No Greater Love Truck

• The Hallelujah Love Machine

• Guinnevere 4+20

• Immigrant Wagon

• SS Minnow  

• Little Buddy

• Classy (like Lassie, but on a higher plane)

• Luxie (short for luxury)

• Cozy

• Yesterday's Cabbage (the title of a rather demented song I co-wrote with a friend who died some years ago)

• Chris (the aforementioned late friend)

• Glaucus (an alternate identity Chris used for awhile- from a character in "Harold & Maude")

• Arlo (as in Alice's Restaurant - "It looks like it's big enough that it could haul all the garbage from the downstairs of an old church")

• Been Laudin'  (a twisted reference both to current events and the praise music I do)

• Knappster (like a member of the family)

• Rufus

• Northern Light (Gail saw the Northern Lights for the first time while riding in the 4Runner a couple weeks ago)

• Bob

• Francis

• the Lil ol' Chariot

• the Silver Rocker

• Knapp's Sack

• My Baby

• Nellie (from "Roy Rogers", a name that stands for faithfulness and reliability)

• Hi Ho Silver

• Silver Bullet

• Ol' Reliable

• Darth Voyager (because I travel to strange and unknown places where no man has gone before)

• Dusty

• Tony

• Betty Sue

• Gilbert (from Revenge of the Nerds)

• Flash

• Sandy

• K.R.I.S. ("Kyle Rides In Style")

• Bessie

• Lucile

• Peggy Sue

• Beth  (from a song from the 70's by Kiss)

• Roxanne  (from a song by the Police)

• Lu Lu (Boss Hog's wife from the Dukes of Hazard)

• Varuka (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory)

• Frodo

• Bilbo

• Bob

• Francis

• Lil ol' Chariot

• Roadside Stranger Saver (from some folks I stopped to help along I-80

• My Little Tonka Toy

• Mohoonthgo (a Native American name I think, anybody know what it means?)
  
  some Japanese names:

• Yokozuna (something to do with Sumo wrestling)

• Samurai ("swordsman")

• San ("master")
  
  and some Ugandan ones:

• Kiduka (runner)

• (a later entry suggested 4Kiduka, since it's a 4Runner)

• Yamani (strong)

• Yampa (God gave me) or

• Mukisa (blessing)
  
  and finally...

• "national security compromising, dependancy on Middle Eastern oil-producing states inhibiting, socially irresponsible, gas-guzzler"
  (uh... yeah... okay...)

(thanks to all who contributed)