Irv Gordon. You may not know who he is, but Irv caught my eye some twenty years ago when I read about him in the magazine section of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The story got my attention for a couple reasons. First, there was a nice color picture of Irv standing in front of what I considered to be one of the coolest looking cars of the then previous twenty years, a 1966 Volvo P1800. Add to this the fact that Irv wasn’t keeping his old Volvo in the garage, he was driving it EVERY DAY, and driving it a lot. He had just broken the million mile mark. See the list of Irv’s favorite small towns by clicking below to continue.

So Irv drives more than just about any other amateur motorist. A retired New York school teacher, he now spends his time rolling ever closer to that 3 million mile mark at a rate of about 80,000 miles per year. Who better to give their list of favorite small towns than Mr. Road Trip himself Irv Gordon.

What follows is from Volvo’s press release. Enjoy.

Gordon suggests nine great towns (some with a Swedish twist) to drive to this summer:

• Newburyport, Mass. “This small town, birthplace of the U.S. Coast Guard, is just a few miles north of Boston and has a rich maritime history heritage. You can still find shipyards, as well as New England style saltbox homes and rather large federal and colonial style homes all over town. Be sure to visit Lowell’s Boat Shop, the country’s oldest boat building business still in operation.”
• Shelburne, Vt. “This beautiful area is nestled between the mountains and Lake Champlain. It’s home to the Shelburne Museum, the Vermont Teddy Bear Company, Shelburne Farms and the Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream factory.”
• Lindsborg, Kan. (a.k.a. Little Sweden) “Lindsborg is a real taste of Sweden hidden 150 miles west of Kansas City. The town is beautiful, neat as a pin and the townsfolk are just as friendly as can be. Swedish pancakes and other specialties are served in almost every restaurant in town. Swedish Midsommer celebrations with Swedish folk dancing take place in June each year. Don’t forget to stop by the bison ranch nearby and check out the wildlife.”
• Mitchell, S.D. “Home of the Corn Palace. It’s a building like you have never seen before. Approximately 275,000 ears of corn, as well as other grains, stalks and grasses cover the building’s exterior, forming elaborate murals designed by local artists. The murals are changed periodically, but always depict local history. If you want to get the feel of a real, old western town this is a terrific place to start.”
• Wamego, Kan. “This small town’s claim to fame is the Oz Museum. The attraction contains more than 2,000 Oz artifacts dating back to 1900. If you loved the story of Dorothy and Toto, you will love spending time here. Wamego is another friendly, Midwest town with welcoming residents.”
• New Sweden, Stockholm and Westmanland, Maine “These three tiny towns, first settled by 51 immigrants from Sweden, boast a rich Swedish heritage and easily allow you to ‘get away from it all.’ If you live in the Northeast and feel a drive to Lindsborg, Kan. (Little Sweden) is a bit far, this will give you a bit of Swedish hospitality closer to home.”
• Groveland, Calif. “This former gold-mining town of the 1840s is home to the oldest continually operating saloon in California and sits 30 miles from the entrance to Yosemite National Park. Amidst beautiful woods and lakes, the town is at the top of Priest Grade, a road once used to haul gold down the mountain and one of the steepest inclined roads in the U.S. Just the ride up the mountain is worth the trip.”
• Vermilion, Ohio “Here you’ll find New England charm on the shores of Lake Erie and the Vermilion River. Lighthouse and sailboat enthusiasts will be right at home. Stores, shops and the Inland Seas Maritime Museum remind you of decades past. During the summer months, you can hear concerts and sample hand dipped ice cream cones in the town square. Don’t forget to visit Thomas Edison’s birthplace in Milan, just a few miles away.”
• East Sweden, Texas “This is another Swedish heritage spot, now considered a ghost town. If you like getting a bit off the beaten path and seeing things as they used to be, this would be a great choice. It’s easy to reach on U.S. Route 190 in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. The town remains show what happened when the railroad by-passed the settlement almost 100 years ago.”

Gordon purchased his P1800 in June 1966 from a neighborhood Volvo dealership for $4,150. His 125-mile daily commute to and from work, his passion for driving and his meticulous care for his car enabled him to clock the miles. In 1998, The Guinness Book of World Records honored Gordon’s car as the vehicle with the “highest certified mileage driven by the original owner in non-commercial service.” Gordon breaks his own world record every time he drives his celebrated car. With nearly 2.7 million miles on his car now, Gordon is aiming to achieve a near impossible milestone – driving three million miles in the same car.

Volvo’s list follows after the jump.

So, here it is; Volvo’s All Time Greatest Summer Road Trip Songs

• “Born to Run” Bruce Springsteen
• “S.O.S.” ABBA
• “Ramble On” Led Zeppelin
• “Me and Bobby McGee” Janis Joplin
• “Dancing Queen” ABBA
• “Jackson” Johnny and June Carter Cash
• “Take a Chance on Me” ABBA
• “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” Meatloaf
• “Stuck in the Middle With You” Stealer’s Wheel
• “Mamma Mia” ABBA
• “Born to Be Wild” Steppenwolf
• “Highway to Hell” AC/DC
• “Low Rider” War
• “Running on Empty” Jackson Browne
• “Southbound” Allman Brothers
• “Waterloo” ABBA
• “Highway 61 Blues” Bob Dylan
• “Little Deuce Coupe” The Beach Boys
• “Knowing Me, Knowing You” ABBA
• “Drive My Car” The Beatles
• “On the Road Again” Willie Nelson

Personally I’d delete the ABBA, but if your ride is a Volvo it may be appropriate.

Now this is just supposition on the part of your Editor, but isn’t one of their most notable and best selling automobiles the Mini Cooper? Could it be possible that the Swedish coachmaker is too rich for BMW’s blood, and Herr Reithofer is just trying to save face?