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R TERRY (64.12.96.235)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 6:06 am: | |
The idea of going to Tennessee just to get an old, dilapidated, 1948 bus didn't go over too well with the homebodies. Who in their right mind would do this? All right, if it makes everyone happier, we'll change the name of the trip to, say, "Vacation: Father and son spend Quality Time seeing America".
That made it OK.
So we loaded up the truck with 2 spare bus tires, an air compressor, a 12-ton bottle jack, two jack stands, a tow chain, a garage full of tools, two new batteries, new cables, a battery charger, jumper cables, blocks of wood, a ladder, 100 feet of air hose, 40 feet of duct tape, 6 gallons of diesel fuel, starting fluid, electrical connectors, wire, various kinds of lights, and anything else I could think of, including lots of Goop hand cleaner. This is how you go on vacation?
I thought about Christopher Columbus. Did people say to him, "Who in their right mind would do this?" Surely, he wasn't going on vacation! I imagine he was well stocked and better prepared for his journey to discover where Tennessee would eventually be. But I also imagine he didn't have the slightest idea what he would find when he got there. How could he? What was he expecting? I was way ahead of Columbus in this respect: I had a picture of what we were going to discover and it didn't look good.
I worried about this all the way to Tennessee. (Columbus drove everybody crazy by asking every five minutes, "Are we there yet?") In an alley behind a Laundromat and an open-mike coffeehouse was a 55-year-old GM transit bus with a 4-71 diesel engine and a two-speed hydraulic transmission. Two tires were known to be flat; one headlight was falling out; it had not been driven for several years; and not much else was known about the bus. I truly expected the worst. Nevertheless, the plan was to drive the bus back to Arizona towing a pickup truck. (!) One more time: (!)
No, the plan was to have Quality Time with my son while we noodled around America; Anything more than that would be a big surprise.
On the way, we discovered some things for ourselves. Somewhere east of Dallas, Texas, all the highways are lined with TREES! Imagine that! Not in Arizona. And Roadside Rest Areas, they're everywhere! Amazing discovery! Who would have thought to put Rest Areas all along America's highways? Well, NOT in Arizona: WE HAVE TO HOLD IT!
We also discovered the highest number of custom coaches outbound from Nashville. Well, DUH! OK, but this we didn't know: Tennessee is one of the most gorgeous, beautiful places you could ever hope to travel. And the mosquitoes.... delicious!
Five days, some 20-odd balogna sandwiches later, and a long, long way from Phoenix, we got our first look at the.... oh, dear, I'm at a loss for words. It's a frightening sight. I'm afraid my heart is going to stop beating. It's as bad as I imagined.
The first order of business is try not to look too alarmed: I don't want my son to get the wrong impression. So far, we've been having a great time, why spoil it now? But the reality is, I own that bus and it has to be gone from that spot as soon as possible.
I asked my son what he thought. He just looked at me.
R TERRY |
David & Lorna Schinske (Davidschinske) (64.24.236.168)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 9:08 am: | |
Congradulations! You have just joined the ranks of the millions (I hope) of parents what know that their kids think they are crazy! Just keep saying to yourself "This is an Adventure, This is an Adventure!"
Lorna |
charles seaton (170.28.128.106)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 9:19 am: | |
Just wait until you get a load of that spicer two-speed "automatic" transmission. It ain't no Allison. |
Johnny (67.242.221.246)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 6:26 pm: | |
I sometimes drive a Fishbowl with a 6V71 & a 3-speed auto...I don't wanna THINK about a 4-71 & a 2--speed, especially on hills. *shudder*
I suggest making sure one thing works--the 4-way flashers! |
Johnny (67.242.221.246)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 6:26 pm: | |
But, if it makes you feel better, this is absolutely something I might do--buy a total beater for parts, then drive it 1500 miles. |
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