Last Chance... Speak now or forever hold your 'piece'.....

singpilot · 04-09-2005, 03:50 AM

No, this is not about the Royal Wedding.....

This is one of those opportunities that only come up once in a decade.

I am driving a 24' stepvan (mostly empty) from Providence Rhode Island to Los Angeles via Glens Falls, NY , Joliet, IL, Minneapolis, MN, and Las Vegas.

I'd be willing to make a small detour to pick up something for another Pelican.

I am in TelAviv, and arrive back in civilization (New Jersey) early Sunday morning the 10th. Will leave RI early that evening. I'll be checking in here from time to time (SprintPCS wireless web), so post here!

Overpaid Slacker · 04-09-2005, 08:21 AM

Which is it -- civilization or New Jersey?

Have a safe trip, buddy. There will be noticeable differences from your usual trans-continental trips. Including probably using more fuel on this trip.

JP

rcecale · rcecale's Garage

Singpilot,

At one of your many stops along the way, you may want to pick up some sausage for your stop in Las Vegas.

I read recently that our own TABS is a sucker for a good sausage and would love to hear from anyone who just may have some to deliver.

(Sorry, tabs, just couldn't resist, buddy!

)

SP, have a safe journey!!!

Randy

LeeH · 04-09-2005, 09:41 AM

Can you pick up a pizza in Chicago and drop in Phoenix?

tabs · 04-09-2005, 09:53 AM

Chicago Stuffed Pizza...make that 2 one for Phoenix and one for LV....

How bout a small detour to Detroit and getting some Kowalskis Kiebasas, 4 to 1 skinless or natural casing dogs, pastrami, corned beef and sedelkis......oh and some Head Cheese, and Black Forest Ham....Yeah....that oughta fill up that van real nice....

rcecale · rcecale's Garage

KOWALSKI'S???????

#@$#$#@ tabs, you really ARE a man of wealth and TASTE!

I grew up on Kowalski's. Between that and the Sander's Ice Cream, it's a wonder I wasn't as big as a house!

Randy

Joeaksa · 04-09-2005, 12:01 PM

That puppy does not look aero friendly and bet it flares like a pig! Not at all like a G-bird!

I would look ahead on www.gaspricewatch.com or other sites and try to find as cheap a place to refuel enroute (cannot stop at Flower in Salina!) so try to make the drive reasonable. Does it have normal or "tokyo" tanks? Hope they are not small as stopping all the time would be a pain.

Hope you thought ahead and got several "books on cassette" to keep you company on the way West. If not email me and can send a couple your way if you have time.

JoeA

tabs · 04-09-2005, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rcecale
KOWALSKI'S???????

#@$#$#@ tabs, you really ARE a man of wealth and TASTE!

Randy

Do I lie?

skipdup · 04-09-2005, 01:18 PM

Randy- Speaking of food... Do you ever make it down to New York Pizza Exchange in Vinnings? I still wake up in cold sweats...

You simply can not get a good pizza in TX.

- Skip

rcecale · rcecale's Garage

Skip, ol' buddy, I have a feeling I'm gonna really hurt you...

I work in Vinings, right across from the Home Depot HQ. New York Pizza Exchange is not far away at all. In fact, they're close enough to have delivery service for lunch. Ask me how I know!

tabs, no sir, I have yet to catch you in a lie, and you certainly haven;t let me down today.

Randy

Bob's Flat-Six · Bob's Flat-Six's Garage

Sing, You better pick up some ear plugs

skipdup · 04-09-2005, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rcecale
Skip, ol' buddy, I have a feeling I'm gonna really hurt you...

I work in Vinings, right across from the Home Depot HQ. New York Pizza Exchange is not far away at all. In fact, they're close enough to have delivery service for lunch. Ask me how I know!

That is quite unfair!!!

I lived in one of of those near by apartments after college. My wife and I almost get teary-eyed when we speak of it NYPE. We SERIOUSLY miss that pizza.

Any time I make it back to ATL, you can bet I'll be found listening to that darn train go by filling my belly with as much of that delicious pizza pie as I can.

Cherish your lunches my friend...

- Skip

rcecale · rcecale's Garage

Skip,

The next time you and your wife are in the ATL, pizza is on us.

Randy

Joeaksa · 06:57 PM

Sing,

Going anywhere near Michigan? May have a motorcycle sidecar that could use picking up there. Would rather pay you than a freight company!

Its in Big Rapids, which may not be far off your route. You could take it all the way to LAS. We have 3 trips there next month and could pick it up in bits and pieces and carry it back home on the plane...

JoeA

singpilot · 11:18 PM

Joe;

I'll call you at the PM cell.

Update day one. Amtraked from Penn Station to Providence Sunday morning. Had not been on a USA train since college. Have gotten spoiled by European trains. Nonetheless, arrived Providence at noon. Seller met me and took me to Cranston to Van. Is mostly what I was expecting, the bad is not as bad as it could have been, the good is as good as I was told.

Left PVD, north MA146 to I-90, then west thru all of Mass and into NY state. Into Albany, north on I-87, and stopped for the night in Malta, near Saratoga Springs.

I thought the drivers in PVD were bad, but then got to MA. Once clear of the Boston area, it got better the farther west I went. Saw LOTS of bikes, it was a warm spring day. Lots of Kerry / Edwards stickers, but those are subsiding too. Don't want to start a flame war, but the worse the driver, the more vehement the stickers. Meaning, in addition to the K/E sticker, would be a Regime Change sticker. That person was busy discussing regime change on her cellphone when she brushed the center divider, spewing plastic parts of her 1989 Honda Civic all over the road. Did she stop? No. Did she stop talking? No. The next one was discussing Roe v Wade (with the K/E sticker AND an Abortion is Murder sticker) on the cellphone when she rear-ended the semi. She never stopped talking until the remains of her car stopped spinning.

As I got into NY state, the K/E stickers thinned out, only to be replaced by Hillary stickers. Since NY is a no-cellphone while driving state, it actually got worse. Now, in addition to dialing, and talking while driving, you have to lean over, or slump low enuf to think you are not being seen while driving and discussing '08 election. This tends to make the car lean over or slump while travelling down the interstate. The upside is that you see NO Bush stickers at all, and the numbers of K/E stickers is thinning out due to road accidents. Oh well. I-87 is crowded with Canadian trucks and full-size Ford and Chevy's headed north at great speed. I think our northern frieds are heading home after discovering how expensive everything is down here.

Diesel was 2.70-ish in BOS area, but 2.14 here in Malta. Truck gets 17MPG at speed empty. Is a 3.9 Isuzu turbo diesel, is happiest at 63ish, but will do 73 when pushed. This van has lived it's life at sea level, and it's hill climbing ability at speed is not stellar. Cant wait for Eisenhower Pass. Of course, looking at yesterday's weather channel report of 2 feet of snow in Denver may make the climb there slower for another reason.

Today up to just north of Glens Falls to pick up a bike I bought a while ago, then to Plainfield IL to pick up an exhaust system. Plus maybe a stop in Michigan for Joe. I am on Euro time (Midnite NY time feels like time to get up and go), so will have to wait for the sun to catch up with me and NY state for a while. I need to change a couple of tires this morning, one of the sidewalls in the front had a cut that has developed a delam, and there is a GoodYear dealer right here. I want to hit the NY DMV as well to see about the title work on the bike I bought. I am getting hints from the seller that it might not be 'right'..... I guess the closest to him is back in Glens Falls.

More later!