Betse, Nate and I left good ol' K.C. around 4pm enroute to Betse's home town, Fayetteville, Arkansas. We met up with Ike and his mom, Vieta, in Joplin, Missouri and dined on a fantastic truck stop buffet dinner courtesy of Flying J. Then Ike grabbed the wheel of the Chief and, in two hours, delivered us safely into Betse's parent's driveway. Bob and Bobbie Ellis welcomed us into their home and we enjoyed a nightcap of German beer and cheese dip before turning in for the evening.
The next morning, after breakfast, we stopped by a local Fayetteville music store to stock up on picks and strings before heading out of town straight south on Hwy 71 through the Boston Mountains of Arkansas. Being the strong morning driver that I am, I took charge of The Chief and renewed my RV driving legs on the twisting, turning single lane. After a few hours of driving this snaking highway, The Chief began to backfire randomly. There would be a loss of power and then a giant BANG! Each time it happened, I watched the cars that were hopelessly trapped behind us on the curving, narrow hills drop back 50 yards or so- putting a safe distance between us just on the odd chance that The Chief might suddenly explode. I cautiously continued to limp the RV up and down the hills while Nate and Ike deliberated on the possible cause of the RV's poor performance. Smack dab in the middle of the Quichita National Forest, I completely lost power and I had to quickly jerk the wheel to the right shoulder. The boys pulled off the engine shroud and started inspecting things while I crawled under The Chief to change the fuel filter. The boys discovered several possible problems but decided that a filthy air filter was the most likely culprit. As our luck would have it, the next town was only four miles away (downhill thankfully) and we were able to buy a new filter, spark plugs, wires and other essential auto sundries at the parts store minutes before they closed down for the weekend.
With the filter freshly changed, and our appointment to record with Dirk Powell foremost in our minds (but still hundreds of miles away), we fired back up The Chief and hoped for the best. It performed much better (now that it could breathe!) and we all exhaled a sigh of relief as the Ozark afternoon decayed into golden twilight.
Am I the first poster?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear it was only a four-mile walk! Although that still is bad enough.
I'm also glad it seemed to be okay after the whatever-y'all-did.
I'm just agog that I'm the first poster. If I am the first poster, that is.
I'd rather be beat with a board than drive down 71 South from Fayetteville in anything, let alone an RV. I hope you at least took 540 as far as 40. It's a dream road.
ReplyDeleteSome places just shouldn't be driven to from KC. Lousiana is one of them.
New wheels eh? Hmmmm..
ReplyDeleteI've got this 1974 Dodge 3/4 ton pickup with extended cab, little tornado damage, but runs about as well as the Chief. Why not put a camper shell on it, tie the instruments on top, put Betse up there in a rocking chair ala Granny in the Beverly Hillbillies, and hit the road. And the really good news is that I will trade for the Chief plus $500.00. (OK, will also sell outright for $500 if you must know.)
I could then cut the top off the Chief and use it around the farm to haul firewood and hay. If it won't run, I will just hitch on with the tractor and use it for a wagon. Sounds like a win/win deal to me.
When is the ETR for the conquering heros?
Re: Worry
ReplyDeleteSome not-so-original gems from my mother, who isn't in her right mind these days, and probably wouldn't know how to post these gems even if she was:
You just as well laugh as cry.
No news is good news.
Consider the source.
*****
Granted, only two of those apply to worrying, but those are the top three.
I think I have plenty of angels to spare, as they don't seem to be willing to somehow communicate the winning Powerball numbers to me. I'll send them all down Wilders' Way.
Now, about this bus/RV/vehicle thing...
Who runs the official fan club? I assume there is one, but am just too lazy to click a few buttons right now. I went out last night and my head hurts.
But I'm saying this: couldn't there be some sort of fan-fuelled initiative-thingy to get some sort of transportation solution? Maybe we could find an old school bus and all help convert it into something you could sleep in and live in (not that you cease to live when you sleep, mind you) and so forth.
But then again, I don't know if they allow converted school bus conversions at campgrounds. The last time I was on a campground to camp it was the summer of 1985 (the same trip where I heard Ike sing before I knew him). There were no school busses then, and I slept in the car because the tent smelled like cats.
I digress. Seriously, I'll put my whole "We Want A Wilder's Winter Wonderland Works" project (which sane people might refer to as the Push for a Wilder's Christmas CD project) to help with a "Give the Guys and Gal a Good Gas-powered Groovy Get-there-mobile" project.
Everybody get out your e-mail address book and start using your networks.
On your mark. Get set. GO!!!
Transportation, semi-serious version.
ReplyDeleteThe Wilders themselves would have to make the call as to whether their vehicle is going to be a serious problem in terms of career advancement. If so, one alternative would be for a group to step up and offer some financial help, maybe on a deep loan basis. That is to be repaid when possible. Might make it possible to move up quicker than otherwise.
We could put on a variety show out at the old barn. Grammy and Grampy have some old costumes up in the attic!
ReplyDeleteI kid.
Well, I did mean to imply that the group would have the final say... but I wanted to know if we should make it clear that we would be at their beck and call. I'm sure if I went back and read my posts, none of that would be clear, because I seldom say what I mean... but I do occasionally mean what I say. Says Alice.
And Vieta, I don't know if Ike ever passed this on or not, but I have thought for years that you have the coolest first name ever.