Catching Up
Rather than do the day by day, I will catch you up and continue on.
Where I left off was with a slipping transmission and Wal-Mart in Jackson, Missisippi. I called my towing insurance and they arranged a wrecker. I was not going on the highway with the possibility of a total breakdown. This rig requires the bumper to come off to be towed and we decided to chance it. Wrecker driver drove the rig, his assistant drove the wrecker with the lights flashing and I drove the Jeep making a modest parade to Buck Sullivan's repair shop where we were allowed to drive into the yard and wait from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. I noticed a television crew interviewing somebody across the street. A young fellow came over and told me a 17 year old girl had been mauled by a vicious dog the day before. This kid put me in mind of dueling Banjoes. Then he says, "Well I guess I'm going to take a ride." In he hops and dogs and Coach disappear. Then he comes back and says the transmission has a problem. (Do Tell!) He commences to take the doghouse (engine cover inside the cab) off, giving me ample evidence that he does not favor underwear, poh-leece, and his boss Cedric. He has a date with an attorney at 5:00 p.m. Cedric will hold it over him if he knows, etc., etc. Turns out Buck Sullivan's refers to Mr. Transmission for transmission work. After a day in in the yard we are escorted to Mr. Transmission and spend the night locked inside razor wire and no way out. We were just glad to be safe and warm.
Larry, the manager, of Mr. T's turns out to be a prince. (That is my temporary opinion depending on the good functioning of the transmission.) They pull the transmission first thing in the morning relying on my coach jacks to get under the vehicle. They call me in for a consultation on the bill and some options (GULP) what's a fella to do? I did opt to replace some OEM aluminum parts with steel at some additional cost. Getting close to 4:00 p.m. the transmission is ready for a test drive. Something is still goofy but it is better. Larry asks if I can stay over another night. I can. Next morning a new wiring harness is attached to the transmission and it passes test one, and test two by two different drivers. I am good to go.
A note about Black people in Jackson. Cedric, is black and manages the affairs of Buck Sullivan's l with military precision and a nice manner with employees and clients. This is a major operation with lots of fleet work. Larry's number two man at Mr Transmission is Black and he and Larry make a great team and like each other based on the laughing that came from under the rig while they were working. I don't think it is the old Mississippi any more..not that there aren't some rednecks left and some trashy people of all colors- just like at home and everywhere.
To add insult to injury, we had only the cellphone quick connect to access email and the web. No blogging at 14.4 kps! This is how we fell behind.
We made it to Gulfport, MS by lunchtime, stopped at Wal-Mart to stock up on some items in short supply and travelled on to DeFuniak Springs Florida, driving in the dark more than we ever intended. Rich called while we were in Wal-mart there and we let him know we were rolling again. It is nice to know somebody is looking out and wondering even if he did ask me to tell him again how much I was saving on lodging after I paid for the transmission!
Florida is wide at the top and long. We had not been down I-75 so opted for that- three lanes all full for most of the way. We stayed in Ocala, Fl where a Wal Mart used to be. It was a little lonesome there but there was a great Chinese takeout place and we indulged.
The next day we made it to Fort Myers and turned left. We drove through miles of citrus plantations and bedding plant greenhouses and small towns some prosperous and some very poor. We made it to Pahokee on Lake Okeechobee where we have been since. The campground is great. The town is is very poor, migrants, poor blacks, and poor whites. The country is very rich, fertile, huge fields of black earth as far as you can see. At last we are in or near the tropics.
Where I left off was with a slipping transmission and Wal-Mart in Jackson, Missisippi. I called my towing insurance and they arranged a wrecker. I was not going on the highway with the possibility of a total breakdown. This rig requires the bumper to come off to be towed and we decided to chance it. Wrecker driver drove the rig, his assistant drove the wrecker with the lights flashing and I drove the Jeep making a modest parade to Buck Sullivan's repair shop where we were allowed to drive into the yard and wait from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. I noticed a television crew interviewing somebody across the street. A young fellow came over and told me a 17 year old girl had been mauled by a vicious dog the day before. This kid put me in mind of dueling Banjoes. Then he says, "Well I guess I'm going to take a ride." In he hops and dogs and Coach disappear. Then he comes back and says the transmission has a problem. (Do Tell!) He commences to take the doghouse (engine cover inside the cab) off, giving me ample evidence that he does not favor underwear, poh-leece, and his boss Cedric. He has a date with an attorney at 5:00 p.m. Cedric will hold it over him if he knows, etc., etc. Turns out Buck Sullivan's refers to Mr. Transmission for transmission work. After a day in in the yard we are escorted to Mr. Transmission and spend the night locked inside razor wire and no way out. We were just glad to be safe and warm.
Larry, the manager, of Mr. T's turns out to be a prince. (That is my temporary opinion depending on the good functioning of the transmission.) They pull the transmission first thing in the morning relying on my coach jacks to get under the vehicle. They call me in for a consultation on the bill and some options (GULP) what's a fella to do? I did opt to replace some OEM aluminum parts with steel at some additional cost. Getting close to 4:00 p.m. the transmission is ready for a test drive. Something is still goofy but it is better. Larry asks if I can stay over another night. I can. Next morning a new wiring harness is attached to the transmission and it passes test one, and test two by two different drivers. I am good to go.
A note about Black people in Jackson. Cedric, is black and manages the affairs of Buck Sullivan's l with military precision and a nice manner with employees and clients. This is a major operation with lots of fleet work. Larry's number two man at Mr Transmission is Black and he and Larry make a great team and like each other based on the laughing that came from under the rig while they were working. I don't think it is the old Mississippi any more..not that there aren't some rednecks left and some trashy people of all colors- just like at home and everywhere.
To add insult to injury, we had only the cellphone quick connect to access email and the web. No blogging at 14.4 kps! This is how we fell behind.
We made it to Gulfport, MS by lunchtime, stopped at Wal-Mart to stock up on some items in short supply and travelled on to DeFuniak Springs Florida, driving in the dark more than we ever intended. Rich called while we were in Wal-mart there and we let him know we were rolling again. It is nice to know somebody is looking out and wondering even if he did ask me to tell him again how much I was saving on lodging after I paid for the transmission!
Florida is wide at the top and long. We had not been down I-75 so opted for that- three lanes all full for most of the way. We stayed in Ocala, Fl where a Wal Mart used to be. It was a little lonesome there but there was a great Chinese takeout place and we indulged.
The next day we made it to Fort Myers and turned left. We drove through miles of citrus plantations and bedding plant greenhouses and small towns some prosperous and some very poor. We made it to Pahokee on Lake Okeechobee where we have been since. The campground is great. The town is is very poor, migrants, poor blacks, and poor whites. The country is very rich, fertile, huge fields of black earth as far as you can see. At last we are in or near the tropics.
posted by Stephen's Pictures | 10:36 AM
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