I'm back!
Things didn't end so well...
Friday
- started out, averaged 70mph to atlanta, made it in 8 hours to Josh's house. Gtg.
- Loaded the engine and stuff, then it started pissing a bit, so I stopped at walmart and got a tarp to cover everything up.
- Left Atlanta, averaged 70 mph to lexington, KY. Met Sherman and dropped off all the interior crap. Great guy!
- Went around the corner and slept off my 13 hours of driving.
Saturday (Longest day of MY LIFE!!)
- Started from Lexington, KY, going to Lynchburg, VA. Was doing great (75 mph, average), Gas light comes on, and I have 8 miles to the nearest gas stop. I'm at the last part of the "mountains" on I-64 through WV, VA. Truck decides it's done.
- A guy that just finished his day hunting helps me get gas. Truck still hiccups and stops intermittently.
- Fill up truck, and start back road trek to Lynchburg. Mistake. Take about 2 hours to go 40 miles. Rt 501, biker's paradise, no shoulders, lotsa dropoffs. Not fun. Still hiccups and stops.
- Start calling for help. Met Skip at his house and he begins taking me out the way I came to get some parts. He stops to get gas and says we have 10 minutes of driving to go. I can't do it. I blow the hell up at him, cussin and yellin. (Not really at him, just kinda venting, and he was standing there.) Sorry, Skip.
- Started away from Lynchburg, expecting a LOOOOONG drive. Hit traffic a couple times, truck died. Realized that there is NO WAY that I'm going to make it the 275 miles to the coast.
- Called for backup, had someone come out with a truck, maybe we could tow strap it home.
- About 11 pm, my backup arrives, he breaks out a tow strap, and we start off. Let me tell you, 30 ft looks like a LONG way when you're standing still. Going 50 mph with no power brakes, no power steering? Not so long anymore. Battery starts dying from running flashers and lights for an hour. Car won't start to get the batter charging. I'm afraid my tower is going to hit a light or something and I'm going to rearend him and mess up my buddy's truck some more. So I chicken out, and we get a hotel for the night.
Sunday
- Wake up, Danville VA. Go to a great UHaul that happens to be open on sundays. The truck is too big, though. Expedition can't tow it on a dolley, one of their trucks can't tow it, Tow bar is $150 plus tools to mount it, since UHaul won't mount it...
Quickly running out of options. I decide to get it towed to Danville to a shop and get it fixed. We head home.
Monday
- Shop calls. Bad Fuel pump. Gotta drop the tank, too.
$300 for pump $100 for labor, $10 for fuel filter... Good thing it's not my truck!
Score:
Truck - Minus Eleventy
Me - Minus engine and other stuff plus a huge pain in the ass.
Escort 9500ix - Plus 1 Billion. Even detected a slick back statie in VA while unit is on the seat... 1 mile back! (That's not illegal, is it?)
It was GREAT to meet Sherman, Josh (again), and see Skip again! Thanks, guys!
