Stopped for a break. Guess where? )

Gary

And .....

When pulling away from the gas station at South of the Border ... We heard the most God Awful mechanical grinding and ripping metal sound. Another fella with a truck and trailer helped Kelly and I locate the sound. I had to pull the front wheel. Least I'll get away with is a front wheel bearing. Hub actually moved with rotor whobble. Staying with Pedro tonight. Tow truck tomorrow ...

)

Gary

We got a room here. Notified security that our truck and trailer was here. Walked back to the truck for some of our things. Crossed a pedestrian bridge over the highway. Dark out, of course. Bright neon all over the bridge. Far side of the bridge goes by a building. Soft glow thru windows catches your attention. I look over ... ah ... sleeping alligator ... ALLIGATOR???! Yep, under a lamp - big old gator. And there's another. Another window ... back in there ... a dozen sleeping gators! All under heat lamps. Might be the reptile house - yeah ... could be! Haha.

Pedro (Mexican fellow who's likeness is imaged and referred to throughout the amusement park campus of South of the Border) keeps late hours. We got a very late meal at the diner. Nice people took care of us. Good soup. Got some names of possible auto repair places on Dillon, SC for tomorrow. Glad we didn't loose a wheel at 65/70 pulling a trailer. Just had the brakes done before we left home. Was fine for nearly 2,000 miles. Then at approx 45k miles the truck throws a wheel bearing. Much better here then in the dead of night on 95n. I feel lucky.

Gary

Sorry about your truck troubles. Glad you can see the silver lining in not having the issue become a disaster. Hope you have some time to enjoy S.O.B. I was on a mission as I flew past on the way to BPS or I would have stopped. May your stay be just long enough to enjoy the rollercoasters.

Kent

A bit of shopping before the discovery of the truck issue.

Wow, nice boyd! A few of those around the house and you're set.

Hope you get up and running without too much trouble.

Lon

Couldn't decide which hat to get! What do you think Lon???

And there we go. Found more helpful people. Fella came right over this morning.

Just moving it enough to get it on the rollback, it sounded like the whole truck was coming apart! Whoooh!!

And so ... we have time to explore.

Gary,

I steer clear of bill caps these days. Get something to keep the sun off the back of your neck or pay the price in social circles.

Oh, BTW, throw one or two of those birds in the truck for me. They are gorgeous and I can't find them that large down here.



Lon



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/2012 04:08PM by Bigbore.

Very "Smart" kit there Lon.

Oh ... Careful though ... Clearly gators can sneak up in your blind spots with such a hat!



Gary

Yessiree , good thing you were close to help and notice that growling bearing ! NOW would be a good time to check all bearings and repack plus u-joints . Hauling a loaded trailer puts a different geometry on all those parts plus your puttin that dodge thru test with all that traveling she deserves a little TLC. How many more round trips you think b4 your done?I have always liked new starts ie; homes, jobs hunt camps , fishing spots but now after twenty five years in one house . i have aquired tooo much to move as far as you did i think i would have a big auction and start all over.You must be chompin at the bit to get back to smithing in the new diggs. new enviroment fresh eyes different creativity processes guns ahoy woohoo. Hey lon watch out fer them gators sneekin up on ya and i like the hat but come on maybe a little smile next picture hehehe .

Hi Kurt,
Would just be guessing on no. of trips left. Part of the reality is that the crew is made up of myself, Kelly, and a few I can grab when things are ready and they can help. It's not just a matter of loading so many boxes. The boxes have to be prepared ... and most are NOT boxes at all - but irregular odd shapes with special issues.
A friend recently asked me why I hadn't just rented a tractor trailer and driver - maybe two. The short list of reasons would include these: can't get a tractor trailer near the old shop. The items had to be untangled from the shop layout. A tractor trailer's floor is chest high off the ground. I don't have a forklift or loading dock. The driver isn't gonna wait for days for us to load the items as we remove them from the shop. We cannot have 32 years of shop machinery all boxed and waiting to toss into a 60 ft trailer. I don't have a crew to load the stuff. And many other reasons. This method is terribly inefficient, but there's no army of people to process the move. The last variable is my ability to push the rock, and see the end game.
You are right. Can't wait for it to be complete.
Gary

Almost lost a wheel, 8' flamingos, and silly hats. 3 comments in 73 reads. Guess there's no use in posting any more of the silly hat pics. The Sombrero was quite elegant. Or the pics with the 40' gorilla. 10' chickens. The silly glasses pics were quite a laugh. Takes time to fight my way thru photobucket anymore. They've "upgraded". Takes five times as long now - if it works at all.

We're most of the way home. Truck and trailer are working.

We'll keep at it til we can wrap it up!

. Just dropped by after lunch ....

Gary

SUCCESS!

Truck is repaired. It required a "hub assembly", which includes the wheel bearing. Fortunately, the axle was not damaged.

They picked up the truck on a rollback. Took it ten miles to their place. Tore it down, ordered parts, repaired it, and drove it back here. We drove the mechanic back to the business and paid. $85 towing. $97 labor. Total around $335 I think. Amazing service. Very reasonable work.

We will enjoy the evening here. Hit the road tomorrow. We needed the break.

Best break down I've ever had.

Gary

Wow - that's not bad $-wise considering....

Used to stop at Pedro's on the way to Fla for Spring break......they only have signs for a couple hundred miles or so.....

Yeah. The price was great. The 500+ miles back here with from Pedro's went fine. Wheel hub was fine. 8.4 mpg pulling full trailer - 10.5 mpg empty.



We're back. Pretty much uneffected by the drive.

We will move out some tons of stuff here to auction and an Architectural Salvage place ... then load up the trailer for another trip to BPS.

Gary

Nice shooting glasses, Gary!!!
Glad to hear you got things fixed without anyone getting hurt.

Wow, I hope the gators aren't as big as the flamingos there.

I'm glad that you found about the wheel bearing without having to experience how your Dodge drives as a 3-wheeler...especially since you were pulling a trailer...yikes! You got a great deal on the towing and repair, I'd have expected at least double that up here.

I'm not so sure about the hat, but I think the glasses are keepers. Keep a pair around just to freak people out at the range and that's worth it all by itself.

Looks like the Florida Lotto Headquarters?

To bad about the truck. I'm glad you were lucky.

Keith



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2012 12:07AM by Keith.

Hi Keith!
Don't know about the Lotto. But we were lucky. Pedro treated us right. We actually enjoyed the break. It's been mostly intense stress, for months.
Good to see ya!
Gary