"-Create a world map with dots representing the location of VX owners so we can see where high concentrations are and where low concentrations are etc."
The Land Rover community does this. I once drove my '72 88" SWB (Short Wheel Base) from Georgia to Kansas for a school. Before I got to K.C. I broke a manifold bolt to the first pipe and the lack of back pressure impeded my top speed. I had already plotted my route with all the Land Rover owners offering any assistance needed from the Oily Rag? site, and I was able to call a nice family with 3 Defenders! in K.C. They took me in for the day and we repaired the beast and swapped stories. Same thing happened when I drove my '65 109" Station Wagon from Fairbanks, AK to Georgia; we stopped in Canada and Colorado for some maintenance assistance.
Likewise when I did live in Fairbanks, I harbored two sets of travelers on their Land Rover journeys to the Arctic Circle. Both stayed at our house going up, then coming back. The one guy (traveling with his dog in his Defender 90, actually planned his trip to Alaska, as opposed to other alternatives, after knowing that I had offered my services). If you didn't want to be that "cozy" with your services though, just knowing where friendly garages with tools are enroute on your journey is a great VX family multiplier.
I'm driving cross-country in my VX between December and January, and half-way back in April. It would be nice to know where the VX caretakers are on my trip, as it may be the only time I would ever be able to meet them in person. ...The same reason I want to organize a Central-California mini-meet before I move. I'll likely never get the chance again.
You can query the member lists on this site by state, and whether they are active users of the forum, but a map would be of great benefit. Just my opinion.
Bren Workman
Gretna, NE
(C) 402-312-1992
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