MrEarl Goes to Washington D.C. (long read)

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

I recently made one of the most harrowing yet most exciting and enjoyable delivery/pick up trips since my first trip, which was when I bought my car haul trailer in with a deal with a 54 Roadmaster from up in N. Dakota some 4 years ago. I had prepared well for this most recent trip by having all the brakes on my ’96 Silverado 1500 pickup (205,000 mi) as well as on the trailer redone. Additionally I had put new Bridgestone tires on the truck and some new D rated Duro’s on the trailer. Headed out at 4:00 o’clock Friday morning loaded up with a beautiful practically rust free but primered 54 body and chassis to deliver it to my buddy Gary (GaryN here on the forum)up around Frederick, Maryland. He's the one I sold Dorothy too but has been crying ever since about all the work he's gonna have to do to her. So I thought I'd sell him yet another one that would save him a little work and a lot of back pain.

Anyway, all was going beautifully along I 85 and I 95, nice fall day, trees just starting to turn. Then I hit the stretch of road I know all professional and small time haulers hate. I-495… THE BELTWAY. The interstate freeway that encircles Washington D.C. I have had nothing but bad experiences on this stretch of road ever since back in ‘72 when returning from California in my Volkswagen bus and after dropping off a girl up in Philly and was on the last leg home to Georgia, I had a flat tire and exited into the “wrong” part of town for a white southern boy with long hair. Next time was about 6 months ago when construction pavement drop-offs blew out two of my trailer tires. And as my luck would have it I was about to have even more fun on “The Beltway”.

So,here I am at about 3:00 in the afternoon, so proud of myself for beating the “quitin-time” traffic, just “truckin” along about 10 miles before I am to exit onto good ole I-270. Traffic starts backing up, I’m going up grade, I put on brakes and the foot pedal does something funky like budabump and goes down a little farther than normal. Don’t have time to really think much about it before I am over the crest and heading down grade at about 65-70. Traffic is coming to a stop, I put on brakes and the pedal goes budabump again but goes all the way to the floor this time. I first look for a clear zone at which to aim. After a really short prayer I down shift the 3 spd automatic to 2nd and then on to 1st. With the ol’ 5.7 engine revving probably higher than she has ever known I bear to the right, onto the shoulder, missing the guard rail by inches with my front right bumper and watch as the left trailer fender misses a black BMW rear bumper by less than 6 inches. I finally come to a stop about 4 vehicles up past the BMW. After assessing the problem to be the left rear brake cylinder blowing out and determining I still have front disc brakes and trailer brakes and knowing that this is not where I want to drop the trailer and call for a wrecker, I bravely crank back up and merge back into traffic. Have you ever tried to maintain a safe following distance on The Beltway under ideal conditions much less under the condition I was in? Well I showed all those DC folks just how a stupid redneck a**h*** from Georgia hauling a piece of rusted s*** at no more than 35 mph does it. I traveled about 5 more miles in 1st and 2nd gear with my trailer brakes on full power and finally exited off onto 270 and called Gary to let him know what was up. He had me exit into an area he was very familiar with and said he would see me in a few.

He arrived about 30 minutes later and we set off to find somewhere/somebody that at 4:00 on Friday afternoon could get me up and going again. He calls his good buddies at the local Chevy dealership (where I learned he has spent a few dollars on Corvette Racing parts) and tells them to hold a spot for me. We unhook the trailer, I follow him (again on the shoulder) to the dealer ship and am astonished that not only are they still open but that they work all night. We drop the truck off, go back to where we left the trailer, Gary hooks his big 3500 up to it (but my trailer plug doesn’t fit) and we slowly make our way to his house in the dark with no trailer lights, back the trailer up to one of the 4 (5?) bays of his garage, unload the car, jack it up so I can remove my wheels, clean up and go up to the house where Gary pours some of the best red wine and cooks up some of the best “blackend” lamb chops I have ever tasted, we talk about his plans for Dorothy and I about which of mine I plan to start on next. Next morning, 7:45 he takes me to the Chevrolet place, the truck is ready, I pay the $292 bill and off I head to New Jersey to pick up a little Special.

But that’s a whole nother story. Read more about that someday in Me and My Buick(s). I’d just like to take this opportunity to publicly say THANK YOU Gary for coming to my rescue and being one of the most hospitable nawtherners I have ever had the pleasure of trading with. When I jokingly expressed this to him while there, he reminded me that he does live below the Mason Dixon Line. And hey you’s guys from north of the MD, that is a joke my friends, a joke…

Sooo, all this just goes to show…

“When Better Buick Friendships are Built, the BCA Forum Will Build Them”

[Guest BJM]

I think I've been "scared straight" into not buying a truck and trailer as I had planned. Transport drivers will be flippin' wads of my cash now...

[Gary_N]

Hey Lamar:

I guess this means you made it home from NJ without a problem. Can't wait to hear what your Georgia mechanic has to say about the brakes on the truck.

Frankie is resting comfortably in the garage while I make room for the numerous '54 fenders, inner fenders, hoods, doors and all the rest of the parts I've acquired from you. Good thing I've been taking lots of pictures.

BJM: Trailering is safe and fun in a scary sort of way. And don't forget, Mr. Earl never sleeps, so many '54's, so little time. He's alway hauling stuff around. Normal guys might have 1 trailer issue in their life. OK, I've had three, but aside from that it's safe. Just stay off the Washington Beltway...

Gary

[Guest imported_Thriller]

Sounds like an interesting trip to say the least...never a dull moment with you around, is there?

Trailering is definitely interesting...Saturday and yesterday I was hauling a boat around...worrying about the guy's rad in the car behind us, he is that close to the prop on the boat and can't see whether or not I'm going to need to brake.

It is a safe enough venture if you are prepared for it. I think you are better off with friends like Gary though, than AAA folks who can't read maps. I've had two calls into them this year and both times I had to painstakingly describe where I was.

[Bill Stoneberg]

Thats because when you call AAA you are calling the folks in India.

That is where their call center is.

[Guest imported_Thriller]

As you've previously mentioned and frustrated me with

[Gary_N]

Bill: That's funny and so true. I hate the whole idea of getting info from someone that's 12,000 miles away and has no idea what I'm talking about! Anyway, I bought a portable GPS from Amazon for $275, which was $300 cheaper than the local electronics store. Love it and I never get lost. I've been trying to convince Mr. E that he should get one. One day away from eBay ought to pay the cost!

Gary