In 1966, New York man Irv Gordon had just purchased his red 1966 Volvo P1800 and pulled it out of the dealership. Now, 47 years later, he is still driving that same car, and he’s about to complete one of the biggest driving milestones for any non-commercial car: 3,000,000 miles driven in the same vehicle.

Like many other drivers, Gordon never intended to hit 3,000,000 miles or some other large number. “It’s not about getting to the three million miles; it’s about the trips that got me to the three million miles,” he says. Since he’s purchased the car, Gordon has been all about the adventure, not the glory.

In 10 years with the Volvo P1800, Irv managed to log 500,000 miles thanks to his daily 125 mile round-trip commute, his extreme attention to detail, and his persistence to maintain his vehicle. Volvos already have expert engineering, but when you combine that with expert maintenance, you can get a car that will last forever (almost), as witnessed by Gordon. For more than 15 years, he has taken his car to the same technician, Nino Gambino, who has an A rating at Volvoville. In reference to Irv, Nino says: “He takes better care of the car than himself.”

In 1998, Irv joined the Guinness Book of World Records for the most miles driven by a single driver in a non-commercial vehicle with 1.69 million miles. Fifteen years later, he has almost doubled his distance. He is adamant that the best way to explore and experience America is by car. He knows that there will always be a road that he hasn’t traveled, and that motivates him to continue driving and continue searching. He expects to hit 3 million miles by the end of the year.

Irv Gordon has inspired countless people to be more adventurous and live their lives one day at a time, exploring and enjoying every minute. He has logged his journeys, routes, and reasons for driving at 3MillionReasons.com. If you learn anything from Irv Gordon’s experience, let it be that life is a journey, not a destination.