This summer I drove to Coco Beach, Florida for the start of the 2011 Hot Rod Power Tour.  Over the course of a week, I "Long Hauled" with members of the Bangshift Online Community to Detroit Michigan.  I did this to gather information about the "virtual" element of hot rodding - this is a relatively new phenomenon which seems to be building connections among gearheads where none have existed before.  I interviewed several participants along the way along with industry representatives.  Along with other members of Cortland's 7 Valley Street Rods car club, I worked the gate at the Syracuse Nationals in mid-July.  This provided me with an outstanding opportunity to census custom vehicle types.  At the show I interviewed John "Posie" Fenecal, one of the most outstanding rod designer/builders in the country. 

I continue to work on transcription of interviews, to date I have completed 19 sessions.  I have at least another 9 to transcribe.  The effort is extremely time consuming, as you can appreciate.  The book is starting to talk to me as I've transcribed enough material to "see" themes.  I continue to enjoy support and encouragement from fellow gearheads as I wrench away on this effort.  To date I have driven some 37k miles in my effort to gather material for the book.