Road Trip 2005 (no pix yet)

[Overpaid Slacker]

So we roll out of Syracuse at 8:30 this a.m. and head west. A mile from the NY/PA border, Dave gets pulled over but the Trooper writes him for "Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device" instead of 88 in a 65. Nice guy. Might have had something to do w/ all the West Point parking stickers all over the car.

Then to Akron, for lunch with Bell -- big fat freaking burger and a look at some of his handiwork at the shop. I hope I talked him out of buying his customer's 1978 Catalina w/ way too much gear installed. Though the flame paint job was phat.

Down to the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, which was a thoroughly expected disappointment. I mean, how many guys' cleats can you look at and still be interested?

Unfortunately, our travels didn't require our using the Ronald Reagan Highway, though I did get a shot of the road sign. EVERY single road we were on in Ohio is under construction. I mean EVERY road. WTF?

Pulled into Cincinnati around 8 -- really nice town, and much larger than I thought. We're on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River - a place called "Covington" - this evening and I'm about to head out b/c I'm reasonably sure that, being in Kentucky, it's statutorily required that every gin mill has Maker's Mark. Unlike more "refined" jurisdictions such as Pennsylvania, just to pick a place at random. Miracle of Miracles, the Marriott Courtyard we're staying at has a White Castle about 25 feet from its entrance. Really -- 25 feet!!! I LOVE the South!

The entire drive through Columbus (home of the Southern Ohio College of Doing Stuff a/k/a Ohio State) I sang "Hail to the Victors" at the top of my lungs out the window of the car. Yeah, really. Bell, can I borrow the armored car with 60 15" woofers and 120 amplifiers, just to drive around that blight on our landscape playing the Michigan Fight Song? I promise to put non-Ohio plates on it while doing so.

Tomorrow to the Maker's Mark distillery and lunch with Mr. Samuels himself, and then probably on to St. Louis. There may be a side jaunt to Bud's Gun Shop, who is currently offering a NIB Beretta Storm in .45 ACP for only $550. That'll be checked luggage on the way home!

Any Pelicans in St. Louis that are available to get an adult beverage on short notice tomorrow night, let me know. Though I'll probably only be able to check this and get back to you tomorrow afternoon. PM me w/ a phone number.

Our original "plan" was to cut through Arkansas, though I thought better of it when I realized I wouldn't be able to resist leaving a huge steaming pile of shyt on the lawn of the Governor's mansion to return the favor that state did for the rest of the union. I haven't kept up on "Free Speech" jurisprudence since law school -- not that I kept up on it much IN law school -- but I'm pretty sure that's not a "protected" expression.

Not sure where we're going after St. Louis. Maybe Kansas City, maybe Tulsa and then Oklahoma City. I imagine any major burb will have acceptable steakhouses, and that is a standard by which I judge where I go.

We put out about 630 miles today, which will probably be the most single-day driving we do this trip. So the hardest part is behind us ... now onto visiting as much of our beautiful country as we can in the next 5-6 days.

Best, guys. Check ya later.

Oh, Tabby -- thanks for the shout out. Turns out, though, that if I don't HAVE to sit in front of a computer all day ... I don't. Which cuts down on my BS'ing time with my online amigos. I'm sure I'll have to re-join the professional world soon, though; so Tech, Purry and the rest of "them' should savor the silence while it lasts.

Nostatic a mod, eh? Sorry I missed that swearing in celebration. Were there strippers?

JP

[speeder]

Nice trip. I did it last week, I was even in Long Island for a minute buying a used Mercedes diesel that I then drove home. I wanted to call you guys, but didn't have your numbers with and short on time. Are you coming to CA.? I'll buy you a MM w/ (1) ice cube in a show of Pelican pinko/redneck unity, let me know! (Great deal on the gun, BTW).

I covered 1200 miles in one day last Saturday, , (Iowa to Vegas), then won $1400 on Roulette within 10 minutes of arriving at the Hard Rock. God I love this country!!

I'll be doing some more of this crazyness this summer, I have an itchy throttle foot and and a fear of the end of affordable fuel. Please give a call, I'll PM my cell#. Have a safe trip!

[304065]

P.J. (JJ White Voice)

That wouldn't be a protected expression, it would be a protracted excretion.

Keep it matted out there.

JFC

[notfarnow]

Originally posted by speeder
... buying a used Mercedes diesel that I then drove home...

... I have an itchy throttle foot and and a fear of the end of affordable fuel. ...

Sounds like you are ready for a vegetable oil conversion. What year & model? Did my dad's 300SD in the fall. Works beatifully... he did a 2000 mile roundtrip from Montreal 2 weeks ago, the whole thing on vegoil.

[speeder]

Just tell me where to get free vegteble oil in LA and I'm all ears.

[notfarnow]

Geez, shouldn't be that hard... find a chinese resataurant that changes their oil weekly. They'll be glad to give it away.

(sorry for the hijack)

[Overpaid Slacker]

Just pulled into St. Louis, MO. Right across the street from the Cardinals game, which I'm heading over to as soon as I'm done typing this and pretty up a bit.

Got to Loretto, KY and Maker's Mark around 10:30 this morning. Met Bill Samuels and had lunch and shot the shyt for 2 1/2 hours. One heck of a genuinely nice guy. The stories he told about the history of that region and his family are amazing. His home growing up was right next door to Jim Beam's house and neighbors on 3 sides were other current bourbon magnates. The relationships between these people are incredible.

He's also related to the James Gang and has the pistol Frank James gave over when he surrendered (the first time) -- and it was delivered to Bill's Great Aunt. He's also got the pistol Jesse James gave to his Great Aunt for her own personal use.

There are a bunch of other details, but I'm in a rush to get TF out of here, have a Maker's and see the game.

I only blew $225 at the gift shop (which includes a substantial discount) and Bill is signing a limited edition bottle and sending it to me. He's a big Louisville fan and is coming to Syracuse for the hoops game (now that Louisville is in the Big East it'll happen much more often) and we'll get together on my turf.

That whole area of KY is just beautiful -- even when it's 97 degrees out. Probably the prettiest scenery so far.

Tomorrow it's either Branson for a few laughs or straight on to Tulsa after going up the Arch in the morning. Then Amarillo and on to Albuquerque -- which I'm dying to see.

I've got an old pal in Gallup I haven't seen in a decade, so that's now on the agenda. Once I get into New Mexico and Arizona I'll be looking for gun shops for new toys.

Best, guys. Check ya later.

Speeder- PM me your #, I haven't gotten it.

JP

[speeder]

JP, Your box is full, empty it out.

[speeder]

JP, Your inbox is still full, so in case you see this my cell# is (three-two-three) 9723801.