[MBZ] need advice & A possibly entertaining story.

[John Berryman]

On Jun 6, 2006, at 5:11 PM, Rich Thomas wrote:

> The TSA will safeguard the flying public and anyone on the ground  
> below
> by cutting open your bag/lock if it has a padlock on it.  How many  
> tools
> survive that experience is questionable.  They like to rummage  
> around in
> bags that have anything solid in them (i.e., non-clothes items).
>
> --R


	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