As I was going through my blogs today, I realized I am missing something I had promised you all, Pictures from Daytona.

Without going into excuses, I’m going to post them here now.

Around the Garage and in the Pits

Classy Cameros

Digger’s Own Car

As we finish getting our fuel, and go to start the truck, it does not want to catch. I notice it does this when the temps are hot, and it is like there is a vaccum lock somewhere, or a sensor is gone. It started doing this last summer.  I’m not sure what it is doing, but it bothers me.  So, this will be getting checked very soon! The truck finally starts, and we drive next door to KFC. Without even thinking about it, I shut the truck off.

Val and I go inside, she orders her mashed potato bowl, and I just wanted to stretch my legs while I had the chance, so didn’t order anything. Val gets her meal to go, and out the door we go. Back at the truck, it refuses to catch. Okay,, I’m not waiting for this truck to start (usually about 30 minutes), so back in we go, and I order a mashed potato bowl, and sit down to eat. By the time I’m done, the truck finally decided to cooperate with some coaxing, and maybe a little cussing and threatening.

Once we get going, we don’t get to go very far. Up the road a ways, just below Gainesville, we run into more trouble, this time it isn’t us though.

There, I-75 came to a complete stop, it’s hot, and I’m not turning on the ac this trip because of the load I’m hauling. There comes an announcement over the radio, a Tractor Trailer overturned and has the whole Northbound lane blocked, happened earlier in the day, so they really aren’t saying much else. It took us 2 hours to go about 10 miles. The FHP is routing us off I-75, and up 41. We are on the off ramp when FHP opens I-75 back up. The police down at the light of the off ramp set the light for us to go, and route us back up 75.

By this time, my legs are burnted through my jeans, even though I had them covered with books or whatever I could find. I have to potty, and l’m out of water. But, I refuse to stop just yet, and push on. We are just about out of FL, just below Exit 460 on I-75.

I had stopped at the exit below to pull some things out of the truck bed as we were getting ready to run into some rain, and I didn’t want them getting wet. All was good, straps were good, tires on the trailer were good, and we were almost out of FL where we would make our fI get back up on the interstate, and another vehicle comes by pointing to the trailer. I look in my rear-view, and see the ATV bouncing around pretty good. I knew what happened at that point! It’s now about 5 PM.

I’ve blown a tire, no spare, it is getting late, and I’m 5 miles below the next exit, and can’t turn around to go back to the last. A truck pulled over in front of us, so I limp up to him, and ask if he knew of any service trucks around that could bring me a tire.

He didn’t, but he did put me in touch with his dispatch. Very nice guy, but everyone advices me to drop the trailer and go back two exits to go to Wal-Mart. Well, they don’t carry a 4.80-12, 5 lug tire. The ONLY place I know for sure that does carry such a tire is TSC. But the closest TSC is up the road about 25 miles in  Valdosta. Walt (dispatch), was kind enough to call his son, who lives in Tifton, and had arranged for him to bring me a tire and help me get on the road.

I had no choice. I had to get off the interstate as it was going to be dark soon, and I’m not about to be on the side of the interstate, and take a chance of getting hurt or worse. So, I limp along the side of the road at 10 miles an hour, and it take me 30 mintes to go 5 miles! We stopped at Penn Oil Co in Jasper, FL and spent the night.

While in the restrooms of Penn Oil, I realized Mom has a place just outside of Valdosta, and has some friends there. DUH! Man, did I feel stupid, as I have been down for a couple of hours by now. I called Mom, she called her friend, and he called me. Dave has been a friend of the family for several years, and I am the last member to meet him, as I have been out of FL for over 15 years now.

Dave called TSC to find out if they had any tires that I needed, they did (two), but closed in a bit, and Dave would not be able to get to there in time. So, we decided that we would spend the night in Jasper, in the truck, even though there was a motel right across the road. I would have been shot if I had dropped the trailer or if anything had happened to the ATV.

Right after I talk to Dave, Tony calls me. I thanked him profusely and told him the storey. I asked for his mailing address and that of his dad. I then called Walt and thanked him greatly, and filled him in.  Both Gentlemen were very nice, and I will forever be thankful that there are still some great people out there that will help you when you need it.

Tuesday morning arrives, I’m awake at 5 AM, and go get some coffee. I talk to a few people, and enjoy the company of those that are in Huddle House at that time of the morning. Dave gets to us about 8 AM, I already had the other tire off, and ready to change. Dave brings both tires on rims that TSC had in stock, just in case we needed an extra! By 8:30 AM, we are back on the road, and heading home again.

I have had enough trouble this trip to last me a lifetime! We get all the way through Georgia without any trouble, only 3 hours from home! We are going to make it! More Construction work on the road, but no big deal.

WHAMP! What the???? Side view mirror shows smoke, rear view mirror shows….

OH CRAP!! The ATV tie down straps came lose on both sides, and the ATV rolled so the back tires are off! I’m in the left hand lane, no place to pull over. I make my way to the right, can’t pull off yet, cones will pull the ATV the rest of the way off!!! FINALLY!  We get to where we can pull over, and so we do.  We were able to lift the ATV back up, and get it locked back down.  Just a couple of flat spots on the back tires.

I thank God nothing worse happened, and begin to wonder if my step father is haunting me or watching over me. I hope he is watching over me, because if he is haunting me, I’m in big trouble! We finally get back home at 6 PM Tuesday evening. What should have taken us no more then 15 hours, took us 33 hours! I thank God that we are home safe and sound, and I plan to stay local for a while. Should I have to make another trip to Florida to pick anything up, I’ll be taking the horse trailer, no two ways, no giving in!

Have you ever felt like the world was against you? Or maybe you felt haunted? That is how I felt Monday on our trip home from my Mom’s in Ft. Myers, FL. At first, I thought Florida was just pure mean, but later, I thought I was being tested. What SHOULD have been a 14 hour trip, turned into a 33 hour trip.

My daughter and I drove somewhere around 900 miles to my mom’s, from TN to FL. We had a couple of reasons for going down. Number one reason was so my daughter could say good-bye to the only man she ever knew as her grandfather. The man who was there for her all her life, and who finally gave in to cancer.  Myself and my other children had already said our good-byes in February. So this trip was pretty much for her.

But also, Mom was getting rid of a couple of things that I really wanted to have around here on the ranch, and she was asking a price that we could afford. I knew she would be able to use the extra cash right now, with all that is going on, until her finances are settled, and she knows what she has coming in every month, so I felt good about being able to help her out.

I really wanted to take the horse trailer, because it is bigger, and I had no idea how much other stuff I would come back with. But I also like the fact that it is closed in, and nothing can be taken out, fall out, or get blown away like with open trailers. But, I ended up taking an 8 foot trailer that we around town for our lawn mower and other small jobs. That is one battle I will NOT lose again!

So, off to Florida Val and I set out. The trip down was okay, I did lose cruise control (no biggie) and my ABS brake light came on, but I still had working brakes, just no anti-locking brakes. I took my time, the trailer pulled great. I was thinking, “This is going to be a good trip. We are due good weather the whole time, I’ll get to see the whole family, and I get to help Mom for a change”. We spent the next week visiting with the whole family, gather photos and other items that Mom was getting ready to throw away, and helping in the yard ( I had forgotten how HOT it can be in FL in March).

Sunday, we have a BBQ, the whole family is there, my brother and his kids and their kids, both my girls, Mom, me. The only one missing was my step-father. That was when it finally hit me. Though it had been a month since his passing. Al was always the man to do the grilling, and kept us kids straight (whatever generation was there). He became a central part of our lives. And though we never got along as I was growing up, I now have the utmost respect, love and understanding for that man.  I will truly miss him and keep him close to my heart.

While my brother was there, I decided to take advantage of it, and have him check my cruise control (I have a heavy foot) and my ABS system. Though both are working again by now, and all seems good. We hooked back up to the trailer, and I got his help loading the ATV onto the trailer, the BBQ grill that I have been wanting (Mom saved me about $200 by selling me hers) and a 10 Cu. Ft. utility trailer into the bed of the truck.

I continue to load the stuff I am taking home, and making sure everything is in good, tied down and safe. I do an over-kill, but I’ve seen too much lost on the interstates to take chances.  When the night is down and I’m ready for bed, all our clothes are done and are the last to go to the truck. Monday morning we leave Mom’s about 9 AM. I ask Barb, my oldest daughter that drove down from NC, to follow me to the store. I had noticed that my left tire on the trailer was low. I didn’t say a word to Mom, as I didn’t want her worrying about us while we were on the road.

So, down the road we head. We stop at the store to put air in the tire, get some coffee, and prepare for the long trip home. Having to redo one of my tie down straps, I pinched my finger and gave myself a blood bluster. “Great”, I think, “this trip home is starting off just great!” But, down the road we go, and all is good, till we make our first fuel stop.

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