[tcb] full trip report and pictures :D
- From: Brian Denning <i_am_cool_fred@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tcb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Chad Johnson <chadeverette@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:54:12 -0500
Trip Report T@TP5here are the
pics:http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n256/i_am_cool_fred/Transporters%20at%20the%20point%205/
Thursday:
Left work at 4:00pm went to the dentist (not really part of
the trip but it was done in the bus so I guess it’s acceptable as part of this
trip report). Left the dentist and went to Browns Country Store and Restaurant
to meet Neil and eat. Neil and I headed out at about 5:30pm. Arrived at Hooks,
TX put in about 7.3 gallons of gas and was averaging about 25ish mpg. Neils
exact words to that was “Damn man, this thing is awesome.” We went on our way
once
again. Got to Dallas at 10:45pm. Ate some pizza and visited with Liz for a
while. Looked at the clock and decided it’s not to late and I’m still awake so
I’ll go ahead and make the rest of the trip. Called Mike Hayes to see if they
will still be up and he said sure come on down. So then I visited with Liz and
Neil some more looked at the clock it’s 12am…I have to go. Set off on my way
stopping first to get some gas. 7.2 gallons of gas from hooks to Neils house
again 25ish mpg.
Phone rings at about 1am. It’s Mike asking if I was close
“OH, NO I’M NOT” Everyone in the back ground even hears me say this and they
all laugh. Mike says where are you and I say I just passed a sign that says
Waco 40 miles. Mike says you have another hour and a half. So I tell them to
just go ahead and go to bed and I’ll see them in the morning.
I’m trucking along and notice that every once in a while the
bus seems to hiccup. Nothing major just enough for the driver to notice. Hell,
Neil never noticed it either. So I attribute that to the Semi’s that were
passing me and go on about my life. It’s 2am I’m starting to yawn so I reach
over and flip the toggle switch for the radio, throw in the Gorrillaz Demon
Days CD and start Jamming, I get through one song and the bus goes dead. But
then fires off again…that was not in my head. So I turn off the radio because I
hear it backfiring I look in my side view mirror and can see the flames
shooting out. So I throw it in neutral and cost off the interstate to a well
lit tree farm (or something like that) get out check the timing hammer the
throttle a couple of times and it runs fine. Get back in take off 1st
gear is fine, 2nd gear is fine, 3rd gear is fine, 4th
gear getting on the inerstate 45mph it backfires out the exhaust, out the carb
it spits, sputters whines, cries, flames are coming out of everywhere so I
throw it in 3rd ON THE INTERSTATE!!! and turn on the flashers and
cruise at about 30mph with it doing that because I can see bright lights ahead.
It’s got to be a gas station. So I hammer on and sure enough it was a Shell
Truck stop with a Subway in it (important info so make a note SUBWAY) I call
Mike it’s 2:30am. “Mike, I’m sorry to wake you I know you guys are probably
asleep but I have problems” he and robb suggest I check the points so I do.
Points were collapsed so I adjusted them start it up it runs good then
backfires and dies. I go back and check them again, they collapse again. So I
try to adjust them out again and realize that I can’t, the little plastic part
that rests on the lobe of the distributor is worn off about 1/16 compared to
the other set I have. So I put the other set in. still nothing, I ask an off
duty cop that is on his way to work (buying doughnuts, seriously) to start the
bus while I check for fire nothing. So I call Mike back he says he’s on his
way.
I stand around look around go to the service road and look I
see a bridge go back to the bus look at the gps it says in .5 miles blah blah
blah, I didn’t see where it says get on i35s so I call Mike and say I’m a half
mile away from the exit and tell them where I’m at. Fast forward 30 minutes
Robb calls and says does we don’t see you where are you at. “I’m at the Shell”
does it have a Wendy’s? “No,” well what Shell are you at? Oh, the gps says that
I’m 8 miles away not .5miles, my bad. Finally the show up after having to deal
with my crap directions and Robb puts on a new set of points. The points have
spark so I go to start it up. Nothing. Check for spark at the plug…Nothing.
Robb says let’s change the condensor. He starts to change it out and then looks
up and goes “what the fuck is this” It’s my coil…no this connection on the
coil…you should fix that. Evidently there was only one wire strand attached to
the crimp on the coil. Fixed that buttoned it back up and it fired right off.
Lesson learned, always lube your distributor cam lobe and
always have a good solid connection at your coil.
So we start heading back. Jeff rode with me it’s 4:30am I
say lets get breakfast, Jeff says ok, I say where do we go, he says oh, I was
kidding and we go on to the campsite.
Friday:
Wake up at 7ish eat some great breakfast that Mike Sonja and
Robb made and let robb tell the wonderful story about how I was stranded 40
miles north of Dallas in the snow and how they had to rescue me because my coil
wire came off.
Got to see lots of folks I haven’t seen in ages. We all hang
out talk about the vw’s it was awesome to watch folks roll up. I was number 7
so to watch the other 50 some odd busses show up was one helluva site to see.
That night was the Chili Cook Off. Robb and I each ate 9
Bowls of Chili. We were going around and saying Trick or Treat and getting
chili from everyone. We both decided that the judging was rigged, someone paid
the chili judges off because Julie should of won 1st, Shirley was a
Close 2nd and Katrina should of won spiciest chili ever. Seriously,
I love spicy chili. It would have been perfect for chili dogs or chili burgers.
Mmmmmm chili burgers.
Amazingly I didn’t have to visit the porta potty at all that
night. But man my bus sure smelled like chili farts that night.
Saturday:
Cruse to the burger place. Loved to see all the white tops
in the distance behind me. I was right behind Paul so when I Parked I set the
parking brake jumped out of the bus with it still in gear and ran to the middle
of the road to take lots and lots of pictures of the 27 busses that were on the
cruise come in to the parking lot. I ate the Heartstopper burger with fries and
a Dr. Pepper. Best damn burger ever. After eating and telling Robb and Mike
exactly how I wanted my funeral including the positioning of the smoke machine
and when the strobe lights should be cued and also telling them that I want
them to play the hustle when I’m carried from the vw hearse to the hole in the
ground. So after eating my Heartstopper burger I went out to the bus and played
the Hustle one final time. Mark took it as a challenge to play the worst song
ever. Sure he played some Milli Vannili but I played “babe” by sonny and
cher…so I win. We drove back after the fun and I stopped at a gas station and
got 8.2 gallons of gas…evidently the points were acting up on that final leg
because the mileage showed. 20ish mpg.
Came back from the cruise, hung out visited met new people
put faces with names partied like it was 1969 then ate some yummy brisket and
the best beans ever seriously, I want that recipe. I ate my beans and Mikes
beans too. Mmmmmmmm beans
We then all went and bid on the most awesome prizes ever at
the charity auction. There were some amazing things in that auction including a
lowrider bike…I wish I had cash with me…I would of bought that thing.
Then Jerry burned an engine case. That was beautiful, I saw
green spots for 30 minutes after that. Then I went to the restroom and while I
was in there I saw the light. Bodean had evidently thrown in the other case
half. It was awesome.
Sunday:
Awards were given out I won one of the best 30 and I gave
Andy the furthest distance award…even though it was really me :D
Then drove home. Speedo stayed on 80 most of the way there.
Don’t have a heart attack you have to minus 10% - 15% from that to get the real
speed.
Cruised back with Mike and Robb to Dallas we stopped once
and I got 2.3 gallons of gas then I stopped in Rockwall and got 4.8 gallons of
gas. And stopped by Jack in the Box for a burger and fries. Next stop was Hope
for gas and I got 7 gallons of gas.
I arrived home around 8:45ish trouble free
Total miles driven: 950 including the cruise
Average mileage: 25.2mpg
Total cars passed on entire trip: 5
Total amount of days during the trip that I had a smile on
my face: 4
Thanks to Paul for putting on the show and Thanks to all you
guys for encouraging me to leave the state…it was well worth it. The bus is now
parked for winter and I will begin gutting the interior this week. For the
winter project I plan on making a full width z-bed, removing the ice box and
replacing all the factory wood in the headliner and walls.
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