Enthusiast Enthusiast - Rackspace Hosting

Owner toEnthusiastby Priscilla Letorney[Priscilla Letorney lives and works in RockportMassachusetts. While she’s never worked at RoversNorth, she’s been a Land Rover enthusiast since hercollege days. Read how brother and sister can getalong through their Land Rovers –ed]There is a reason that Rovers North refers to its customerbase as Land Rover enthusiasts, being an owneris simply not enough. One must appreciate, embraceand truly love their Land Rover. Currently, I am theproud owner of a 2001 Holland & Holland RangeRover, #178 to be exact. This is my third Land Rover,and each one has enhanced my devotion to the pointthat I now vow to always have at least one in my driveway.I was a junior at UVM when I acquired my firstLand Rover. It was a fire engine red Series III 88 thatmy brother Mark had serviced and felt it was both areliable and mechanically sound truck. The goal wasto purchase a vehicle that would get me from myapartment up to campus, all “social activity” locations,and of course various points of destination in Vermont,regardless of the weather. (True enthusiasts know thatLand Rovers are the truck equivalent to U.S. PostalCarriers – “neither rain, snow, sleet, hail, etc.”) Iquickly grew attached to my Rover as it fearlesslydelivered me, and usually several of my friends, anywhereI wanted to go no matter the road conditions orother drivers we encountered en route. Plus, Ibecame the really cool chick with the Land Rover tomost of the guys I met at school. I guess they weretired of dating girls who drove either a Saab or aVolvo.When I graduated I decided to move toWashington DC, and determined that my Land Roverwas too impractical to be a city vehicle. Not to mentionthat parking it on the street in a major city wasnot appealing to me - plus I would be thousands ofmiles away from Rovers North. Fortunately a friendand fellow classmate of mine who was already theproud owner of a 109” purchased my 88”. Years laterat a Rovers North Rally, I saw my previous Series Roverand it had recently survived a beach roll during a hurricaneat Marblehead, MA.Approximately nine years later I found myself inpossession of a garage-parking pass in downtownBoston, a perk that came as the result of a job promotion.I had promised myself that once I had a permanentparking space in the city I could start my searchfor a Range Rover. Six months later I found myself atRovers North choosing between a green or black shortwheelbase Classic. I choose the green one. I felt thatliving in the North End of Boston (known as the Italiansection) and being seen driving an all black RangeRover might give people the wrong impression regardingmy “family connections.” I quickly became enamoredwith my new truck. It got me from Boston toBurlington safely and rather timely during numeroussnowstorms, Nor’easters, and such. I also enjoyeddriving it off-road and sharpening my skills especiallyat the British Invasion held in Stowe every September.Two years ago my profession and residencechanged, creating a 60 mile round trip commuteMonday to Friday. Needless to say, this began toenhance the maintenance schedule of my beloved ‘91Classic. I put my AAA benefits to work more oftenthan I would like to admit, but after you surpass100,000 miles you should expect to have to replacesome major components. I consider myself very fortu-Page 20