The Adventures of Me & My Shadow #52 in MD,VA,WV,OH,KY,IN,IL,MO,IA,NE,SD,WY,MT,ID,WA
& OR 9/24/00
3588 miles this trip, odometer now 70,644 total, miles this year
18470.
From Boise, Hi Everyone!
9/1/00 Started my trip to Little Diamond RV Resort in
WA, it sure felt good to be on the road again. I didn’t need
fuel but I stopped at the new Royal Farms Station just south of
the MD border on Rt.13 to top off. I knew it might be the last
time I would pay $1.35 for fuel. My navigator Gus, wanted to go
north and then west but I had a hunch the fuel prices would be
higher up north so I told him I wanted to visit my brother Gerald
in Gladstone, MO, just north of KC. I also had one more Honey
Do item to check off at my sister-in-law Virginia in Va. Beach,
Va. So after visiting my daughter Jenny and her family on the
Eastern Shore of VA I headed south. When I got to the toll booth
for the bridge tunnel I see the gal had already rung up $18 as
my toll and she said “$18”, I said “No! $13”
and we started arguing, she must have pushed a button because
a young cocky security guy shows up and said “Your toll is
$18.” And I said “No! my toll is $13.” I could
see he was agitated and after a little more argument he said “pay
the $18. and park over there and come to the office.” I said
“I can do that” knowing that I would get my $5. back.
When I got to the office I see that young officer in a dark control
room talking to a big burly Lieutenant, I started in the door
and the Lt. motioned for me to stay out. In a few seconds he came
out to inform me that I would pay $18. I informed him that many
times in the past I had paid $18 and was ripped off for the $5.
He informed me that they do not rip off any one, there may be
an overcharge but no one has ever been ripped off. I was beginning
to enjoy this and I could see that he was agitated. I Told him
“in your book it may be an overcharge but in my book it’s
a rip off, not only have they ripped me off but every motorcycle
rider gets ripped of for five bucks by paying the same toll as
a car”. He was about to blow a fuse, I told him to check
with his supervisor, that I have had this argument before. He
went in his office and after talking on the phone I heard him
tell the young officer to go out to the booth and get my five
bucks. I thanked them both for their cooperation as I took the
five bucks and headed out the door.
I hope none of you other GMCers back down and pay the $18. I am
getting them all trained, the $18 toll is for a tandem axle -
duel wheeled truck with 10 wheels. The $13 toll Is for a car
pulling a trailer, 3 axles 6 wheels. I arrived in VA Beach and
finished the Honey Do item and had a short visit before turning
in to get rested up for a long day.
9/4/00 About 4:45 a.m. I headed west on I-64, traffic
was light, had a little fog in the mountains and we got some heavy
rain around noon in WV. The weather cleared up in KY but as I
came west the traffic picked up. The price for fuel each time
I filled up was $1.49 I saw some for more but none for less. 9/5/00
About 2:30 a.m. I park in front of Geralds house and shut down
to get some rest it had been a long day. After a breakfast and
a short visit I headed north with a real stiff tail wind on I-29,
destination Coleridge, NE. After crossing the river into NE it
looked like I would not have enough fuel to make it to Coleridge.
I stopped at a station that I had filled up at the last time here
and then found the price in Coleridge about a dime cheaper. This
time the price here was $1.52 so I put just enough in to get me
to Coleridge. Got to Coleridge and the price was $1.57, I had
enough to get to Yankton, SD and hoped the price there would be
lower. I ate supper and then went to check in with my ex-boss
Marv to get on his computer to check my e-mail and have a short
visit with him and his wife Jackie. They were just finishing supper
and Jackie asked if I had room for a piece of Banana cream pie,
I always have room for a piece of her pies. I spent the night
in the park and headed to Sioux Falls, SD in the morning.
9/6/00 I stopped in Yankton for some $1.49 fuel, I see
the price was the same for unleaded plus 89 octane so I filled
up with 89 octane. As you will find out latter, this was a mistake.
I enjoyed a good stiff tail wind all the way to Sioux Falls and
arrived at the Sioux Valley Hospital at lunch time, just what
I wanted. The hospital cafeteria has outstanding food for a fraction
of the cost any where else. If you are ever in Sioux Falls, by
all means go to the Hospital for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I
made an appointment to get my defibrillator checked at noon on
Oct. 3 and then headed west on I-90. The temperature kept going
higher and it got up to about 100 and the engine started to stumble
once in awhile. I have never had a vapor-lock problem but this
sure acted like that was a possibility, it was then I remembered
that 89 octane fuel had some alcohol in it. My fuel was about
half gone so I decided to get fuel, there were billboards advertising
gas for less at the next exit. All three stations wanted $1.62,
if that is gas for less I don’t want it. I went back out
on the interstate and the engine was stumbling more all the time.
At the next exit I see a crude sign saying Gas, Rocks & groceries,
it was a dumpy looking place. I didn’t need any rocks or
groceries but I sure wanted some gas. When I pulled up to the
pump the price was $1.49, as I was filling up another RV pulled
up and I guess he was wondering why it was taking me so long.
He came walking over and I apologized for taking so long, I just
wanted to squeeze as much fuel in as I could. He told me that
he also pulled off at the last exit for gas and he didn’t
want any of their gas for less. The real shock came when I went
in to pay for it. I gave her my discover card and I praised her
for having a decent price for gas and she told me that there was
more to it, because I had taken more than 20 gallon she was giving
me a three cent per gal discount. Now why aren’t there more
places like that? I got back out on the interstate and the engine
was running like a new one on that $1.46 gas. So I now know better
than to put high octane fuel in when it’s hot, even if it
don’t cost any more.
When I got to the exit in ID where Gus told me to exit
and go north, they were resurfacing the outside lane and the exit
was closed. I zoomed out on the map and found a Flying J truck
stop not too far ahead. I needed fuel and it was getting late
so I pulled in there and parked for the night. Next morning I
had breakfast filled my tanks and told Gus to take us to the Little
Diamond RV Park. Gus must need glasses as he missed the correct
road to take us to the RV park. Just before we got to the park,
he told me to turn left and go north, off to the east I could
see the mark on the map indicating where the RV park should be.
The road went north and curved around to the east and he told
me to turn right on a local road that would take us south to the
park. The local road turned out to be an old abandoned logging
road, it was impassable. I continued on and the road curved around
to the south and back west almost to the intersection where Gus
told me to turn north and there was the road to take us into the
RV park.
I was the first GMC to arrive but soon I was meeting old
friends and making new friends. The rally was great and the catered
meals were outstanding, the seminars were interesting with good
information. As I was walking back to the coach one evening I
was visiting with a gal, we had both noticed a shortage of birds
and thought it strange. After I got to my coach I realized that
we were almost up to the Canadian border, fall is almost upon
us, so I reckon the birds we were looking for were by now half
way to Mexico. I hope to be joining them soon.
When the rally ended, I told Gus to take us to Mount Hood
in Oregon. I’ll be darned if he didn’t want me to leave
on that old logging trail, I had to set a via on the road going
south to set him right. Had a nice trip in Washington but when
we got to Oregon Gus found a shortcut that was a disaster. He
called it a scenic route, if you like to look at tree trunks,
it was scenic. The pavement ended and the washboard gravel road
was so narrow that if I had met a bicycle, one of us would have
had to backup. If I had trouble up there I would not have been
found till spring.
Till next time, Dallas or Dad if it fits.
Me & My Shadow, with Gertrude, Gus & Keith on the road.