Every Road Trip has a Story

[Daniel Koster]

5 1/2 years ago it was losing a water pump pulley in New Mexico and even the factories in Japan were backordered and then finding one in a junkyard 2 days later. All this taking place 10 days after getting married and moving to the South, despite having never even been there before.

3 1/2 years ago it was hitting a 75 lb. labrador on the highway and then blowing a tire in the middle of Wyoming and then coasting to a stop at the only gas station for 50 miles.

2 years ago it was a thrown transmission on Christmas Eve in Manhattan, Kansas. Emptied all the family stuff into a rental car and kept going only to drive through the Utah/Wyoming area having its worse snow storm that year. Holidays came and went but the car was still in Kansas at the dealer. Had to leave on a wing and a prayer (or lose my job ) only to get back to Kansas and find that the transmission hadn't even shown up yet. In all, 9 days on the road from when we left Utah to when we got home.

Last year - the day before we leave: Boss waltzes in and says "by the way - you know you're not getting paid for this vacation" to both my wife and I (worked for the same company). We lost nearly $1500.


This year = took 2 steps out the door and the 2 yr old throws up all over everybody and everything. Had to leave anyway. 1 hour later - kid throws up again. I stop at a gas station and strip and bathe him in the sink and wash his clothes. 2 hours later - again. Next day at a Taco Bell - all over the wife this time. Once more into the restroom (thank goodness it was roomy and had a lock). Washed everybody's clothing and piled back in the car. Suddenly got smart. Once we stopped, I got the boy out and had him run around until he threw up - this time on the pavement...
While in Arkansas the front end gets messed up and end up with 2 new tires.

Still, though, it was a good trip.

...and I'll be doing another one next year...


Am I nuts?


OK. I've told my story - y'all tell yours.

 

[Bill Martino]

You may be nuts. But we've all had our road misfortunes --

water pump failure, New Year's Eve, Tucumcari
starter failure, summer, Death Valley
thrown rod, Fling Hills of KS, winter

And those are just a few of the more memorable.

 

[Steely_Gunz]

I have too many to list.
two summers ago, Jeep throws a rod on the way to the drive-in in the middle of nowhere. luckily we were close Alcoa property and a nice security officer let us bum a cell phone and call AAA.

last april, Jepp tranny starts to smell like burnt sugar and colapses 3 miles from home. walked whole way with 50 lbs of college text books kicking myself for forgetting my cell and grumbling.

This Christmas, brakes go out in Jeep one day before fiance' and I are to make whirl-wind trip from my folks home in southern indiana to her folks in Louisville, KY and back in time for me to get to work the day after Christmas. Dumps an unexpected 7-8 inches of snow as we make the trip in her Toyota Celica. Have to listen to "Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!" every time we hit a slick spot. (By the way, i know 7 or 8 inches isn't much for some of your northen fellas, but we're WAY below you all's snow line)

Wouldn't trade the memories for the world though. Something to tell the kids about one day

jake

 

[MauiRob]

Once we stopped, I got the boy out and had him run around until he threw up - this time on the pavement

That's the funniest thing I've heard in a long time!! LMAO!

Makes me feel better about my puke adventure with my little one on Chrismas night!

 

[Daniel Koster]

Spent the night Saturday in Indiana, right outside Indianapolis. Probably not too far from Ferrous Wheel...but I didn't notice any funny smells... ...like the smell of iron burning... ...or spilt gun-bluing dye...