KABOOM..........FLP,FLP,FLP,FLP,FLP.........

I guess it should have set the tone for the trip, when it rained within an hour of leaving with our spit polished Blue Bus!

We arrived at Marathon in time to retrieve our repaired shades, only to find the repair had been done incorrectly and the shades now won't expand to the edges of the windows. By this time Marathon is closed, so I repackaged them and will leave by their front door, with a note explaining the problem, when we leave in the morning.

Another bus pulls in and we soon realize it is Scott Campbell from Michigan, a Marathon Coach Clubber who we met and spent some time with on our Michigan/Canada trip. Scott was on a mission to get his father back home so he couldn't stay long, but did leave us some parts to leave along with ours.

After a quiet night we are off about 7 am and back on the road. A fuel stop in Georgia is in order as their taxes are lower and the fuel prices usually some of the cheapest. We stop at the Flying J at mm 320 north of Atlanta. The price is $4.59 and I get a .06 discount....we take on 160 gals so you do the math! Traveling north into Tennessee my low price theory is shot as I see some prices as "low" as $4.43! What next!?

We arrive at one of our favorite spots, Two Rivers Campground in Nashville around 4:30 and park for the night. I try to level up only to find the air compressor used for levelling is not working again. I have been having some issues with it and obviously haven't resolved them. Next weeks project.

We "sneak" out around 6:30 the next morning and head north. It's a sunny nice day and traffic is not to bad, even the construction zones are moving well. A rest stop north of Louisville and on the road again.

At this pace it looks like we should miss the Chicago traffic and be home around 2:30-3:00.

NOT

KABOOM............FLP,FLP,FLP,FLP,FLP,FLP,FLP....we have blown a tire. The truck that I am passing quickly realizes the situation and slows to give me plenty of room to get slowed and to the shoulder. Safely on the shoulder, I assess the situation and find the right tag axle tire completely disintegrated. The debris has ripped off a mud flap which is hanging, but otherwise no apparent damage. In that respect we are very lucky as their are vulnerable air, fuel and electrical lines that were in the debris path.

Where the hell are we anyways? After realizing we are in an area that I know Ozinga has some concrete plants, I call my old friend Randy. He asks if he can call me back, and I ask him to be quick, cause I need his help. Kinda rude! He calls back within a few minutes (Thanks Randy!) and I explain our situation. He offers to call one of his people in the area and have him call me. Shortly his guy calls and directs me to a nearby tire company. I call the tire company and drop a couple of names. They have a used tire (lucky cause it's kinda a wierd size) for a very reasonable price and can dispatch a qualified service guy immediately! (Thanks Randy!)

By now a motorcycle State trooper has arrived, along with a Hoosier Helpers service truck. I explain that I have help on the way so the cop uses the opportunity to run a little radar. Only a couple of minutes pass before he is off, siren blaring. The Hoosier Helper dude assists me in getting the mud flap off and putting it in the jeep. The Hoosier Helper guy explains that he was up the road getting fuel when his dispatch called and informed him of our situation. Seems they had seen the whole thing on camera!! The camera can be seen on the tower in the background of the picture on Pat's post. He said somebody sits and watches those cameras 24/7! Randy calls back to make sure everything is going to be OK. (Thanks Randy!)

After about an hour the tire service truck arrives and makes quick work of changing the tire. He checks the pressures in all of the other tires and we are on our way again! (Thanks Randy!)

Some slow traffic thru construction in Chicago and we are finally home.