Part of that trip reminds me of a trip I took from State College to Virginia Beach one night while attending Penn State. The rest of my family was down there at a house along the beach and I wanted to join them. My car at the time was an old Austin Marina 4 door, 4 cylinder, 4 speed. Sometime after I left I lost the brakes or at least most of them. Since I was driving in the very early morning during the week on mostly 2 lane roads through the countryside, I made it without incident. REALLY STUPID, REALLY FORTUNATE (God's grace if you ask me) and I hope my own kids are smarter than that.
...Kevin John Berryman said: > > This is why I ship UPS, Fed-Ex, etc. I sometimes ship my luggage and > personal effects to travel destinations and travel real light on the > plane. I had my luggage misplaced and as a result, had to spend a > couple of days in a hotel in New Orleans. On the airline's tab, > meals and drinks included. > This was when I bought a 300CD from Jason Stearn. It was the day > after Christmas 2001 when I flew out, they had just started checking > peoples shoes for explosives. I was checked. Being right after > 9/11/01 their was a lot of tension regarding security. I knew I > was'nt getting on the plane carrying tools and license plates. All > legal paperwork and stickers were in there too. I NEVER, EVER > checked luggage up to then and since. The airline delivered it to the > hotel intact. > It was an adventure from the start. There was noise, sounded like > the diff was gonna blow, it didn't change no matter how I hammered it > so I sucked it and kept moving. I'm heading out of Baton Rouge to the > Adirondack Region of NY (note the date). I did'nt realize that > there's no heat until.......yup, you got it. There right rear caliper > blew. Brakes, who needs 'em? > I'm running all Interstates all 90-95mph until Tennessee, they'll > tolerate 80-85 in a 75. The driver's seat is shot, BAD and there's a > nasty winter storm coming. If I drive straight through, with no sleep > I can miss the worst of it. Did I mention window regulator broke > leaving the window jammed in a cocked position? Well any way, I'll > have some nice crisp air to help keep me awake, no time to fix, gotta > beat the storm. Worn Michelin MXVs don't do much on snow and ice. > You should always behave while driving through Virginia, somehow > this always slips my mind. The weather got uncooperative in Northern > Va. and stayed that way for the duration of the adventure. It was a > weak attempt at a "Wintery Mix" but still enough to keep one from > becoming bored riding on those skins. The Norther I go the Colder and > icier it gets. I'm getting a hint of warm air to the defroster vents > so I had some de-icing capability and a somewhat clear area for > forward vision most of the time. > I- 81 through Pa was no day at the beach, the icy hilly roads are > unforgiving and cause massive pile-ups, often with resultant > fatalities. Those familiar can give testimony to that. Fate would > have it, as I crest a hill I see about 1/4mile ahead that there's a > car on its side , half on the median and two young guys who stopped > to help. I was driving way ahead of myself and keeping the speed real > sane but it was a real challenge to get her stopped on front brakes > only and those lovely tires. > The kids waved me on saying help was on the way and no one was > seriously injured. In my mirror, I watch a 17 car pile-up as I drive > off, I heard the number on the news. There were two more pile-ups > which I was able to navigate around to avoid being the next crushed car. > Finally I hit the NY border and settle into a good groove, only 3 > 1/2 hours from home and my Sugar Pie. Now that the Demo-Derby on ice > is far behind me, I realize it's colder than a mother-in-laws kiss > and my feet are numb. I stop in Binghampton for fuel and drive the > rest of the way home with sweaters wrapped around my legs. > We're real generous with the salt up here and this coupe had no idea > what she was being driven into, as she spent her rust-free life > between SoCal and The Big Easy. She hasn't seen road salt since that > night. The rest of the ride was relatively uneventful. > I got in before the brunt of the storm and awoke the next morning to > 18" of snow. I'm always happy to be home after my many sojourns but I > was ecstatic after this one. > Aside for the few mechanical inconveniences I mentioned earlier, I > had no mechanical trouble, no need to pick up a single tool. The > horrendous sound that I listened to, trying to ignore all the way > home wound up being a broken tranny mount. > > > Johnny B. > I Mac Therefore I am > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ > For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > -- "Thank God for Microsoft" -- Linus Torvalds
