UlrichWolf Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 The Pre-Game: The PF vacation started for me on Tuesday afternoon when NudeLobster and his dad showed up. After trying out his car, and catching mild air over an intersection in downtown Wichita, I decided that driving lowered cars just wasn't for me. We had planned to look at his exhaust, and his car was hot, hot, hot, so we decided to let it cool, and go to the gun club while the car cooled. Shaulis was not a bad shot with anything he picked up. My neighbor went, and brought along a few guns, and Shaulis tried them all, excepting the zombie-killer AR15. But he did great with my Beretta, my Tanfoglio, and Tracy's tupperware Glock. He even got to fondle some good stuff.....like this breaching shotgun.... http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/8829/shaulisbreachshotgun.jpg Wednesday, we worked on his headlight issue, which I was able to overcome and solve some problems, both with the car, and of my own creation. We installed the nice H4 headlight kit, and unfortunately, these things are made from a plastic that is about as structurally sound as Nilla Wafers. After stripping the threads for a screw that holds one end of the retention spring in, I repaired it with a mainboard screw I salvaged from an old Pentium II server I had in my closet. I also checked out the temperature gauge, which I got to work correctly all of ONCE, and it promptly died, never to budge again. Thursday, was crunch day, and it started off that way. Shaulis came to the apartment, and Maxzillian showed up as well, just getting in from a business trip to Ohio. Shaulis springs the bad news that his battery light had begun to come on, but Max came through in the clutch, and happened to have a brand new alternator sitting at home. So, we went to Newton, and I installed the alternator on Shaulis' car, and he cleaned and replaced the main fusible link. I was hoping that we had appeased the car trouble gods. When we had arrived at Max' house, I used my temperature probe on my car, and noted a 99 degree air temperature, 174 degree thermostat temperature, and a 632 degree turbo hot side temperature. I decided that everything was working GREAT, and would not touch my car. At 3:30 pm, I left to meet Drude (Ratmtattat) in downtown Wichita, only to have my car's fuel pump begin to fail on me. ( I started this trend, you're welcome) I left my car at a gas station, intending to pick it up later with Tracy's Land Cruiser, and went to meet Drude. Of course, we get back to my car a couple of hours later, and it starts right up. Runs perfectly all the way home. I decide to drive the Vic, because I am not sure I can trust it at this point. At 1:30 am, Shaulis, Shaulis' dad Brian, Drude, and myself head out for Max's house in Newton, to meet up with him. The car trouble gods.....not yet satisfied. Here's the scene at Max's place at 2:30 AM... http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/2188/picture029f.jpg Max's car off to the right, getting a radiator installed at 2 am, and Shaulis' car having the electrical system checked, again. We get on the road at 3 AM. Things are going pretty good through the trip..... Myself, and Maxhttp://img692.imageshack.us/img692/3382/picture038zx.jpg Shaulis car, and the St Louis Archhttp://img808.imageshack.us/img808/5868/picture032qb.jpg Drude enjoying some Grand Marquishttp://img62.imageshack.us/img62/2732/picture031cz.jpg The cars at a Illinois rest stophttp://img6.imageshack.us/img6/412/picture033rs.jpg Then....more disaster. Illinois, in and of itself, is a disaster. And we had to sit in a 5 or 6 mile long traffic jam, and lost almost two hours, due to lanes closing, and people bumping into each other, and rubbernecking, and basically any other excuse you could find to slow down. We got through that, and had more smooth sailing, until we reached Pigeon Forge, whereupon another hour long traffic jam waited. Coke and Coldscrip were both texting, asking if we were OK, and we were.....just not moving. But finally, at 10:45 pm, we rolled into the lot at the Vacation Lodge. The Meet: After a cursory round of hellos, I crashed hard, and slept well. Saturday was THE day, though. Started out with a trip to Golden Corral with Jimmy, Truth, and Fanta. Loved catching up with all of them, and then, afterwards, got on board the Area 32 run. The Vic did amazingly well on it, cornering neutrally, and not overheating, even with the air conditioning set to MAX. I did, however, manage to boil my brake fluid on the way back, but it was SO much fun. Along the way back, some of us took a shortcut back to Gatlinburg, and Convette was suddenly in front with no one around. I had spotted a liquor store in Gatlinburg, and I stopped in there, and so did almost everyone else. Convette was shocked that we beat him there, at least until I fessed up about the shortcut. I found what I wanted in the store....genuine Tennessee moonshine! Getting back to the hotel, I brought out the good stuff, which everyone agreed tasted like aircraft fuel. We also proof tested it by me spitting a huge mouthful on a burning napkin.....yes it flared up, and thankfully, I avoided becoming the next Youtube viral sensation. After everyone was sufficiently bombed, it was decided upon that I would go go-kart racing, pretty much by Coke, 87Blue, and Maxzillian. We finally got to the place (it was a pretty long walk), and got tickets. The go-kart track is a redneck's delight, with elevation changes, and a couple of rednecks delightfully throwing water on the track at an uphill corner, ensuring that if you don't go tail out, you will probably spin out. 19C Turbo and his girlfriend took one of the double seater karts, and determined that it would be great to squeeze me off my racing line, and make me back off. I decided to show them both just how well I can do a PIT maneuver. I heard even the track staff got a kick out of it. Sunday, I missed the Tail of the Dragon run, because the moonshine had left me in a sad state of affairs. Of course, a couple of cars broke...Frenchi's car blew the oil feed hardline for the turbocharger, and Ironside seized up his alternator, and thankfully, Dad had a oil feed line with him, and Ironside had a trailer with him. After a fabulous dinner with Tom, Misty, Luis, Dad, Coldscrip, Maxzillian, Kyle, Laura, Coke, and Drude, we hung out for a bit, and turned in for a long ride home. Some pics from the ride home:Tennesseehttp://img695.imageshack.us/img695/3113/picture040o.jpgKentuckyhttp://img819.imageshack.us/img819/2308/picture042oq.jpghttp://img17.imageshack.us/img17/5544/picture044rt.jpghttp://img535.imageshack.us/img535/1419/picture046uh.jpgKansashttp://img828.imageshack.us/img828/5407/picture047f.jpghttp://img841.imageshack.us/img841/3476/picture049j.jpg Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Damn straight you went go-karting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratmtattat Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Good pics for the most part (I think I see one that I'm not that fond of...) It should be mentioned that Illinois did not make the best impression on me because of the aforementioned traffic jam and also on the way home through some broken down town that featured the following: Orange Buick with black pinstripes, dual hoodscoop, and shiny RIMZZZZZOldsmobile done up in a Frosted Flakes theme complete with logos, pictures of Tony the Tiger, and RIMZOld granny in her motorized wheelchair causing Tim to slam on the brakes when she shot across the intersection out of nowhere Chicago would probably be worth visiting, but I'll fly in, thankyouverymuch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMeyerhoff Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 For the record let me say that Illinois isn't a bad state overall (since I'm from there). BUT their roadway construction projects are idiotic by design. Being one of the most corrupt blue states, it really doesn't matter how much you suffer so long as the governor is getting some kickbacks. sorry, please come again mm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin88ESiR Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Orange Buick with black pinstripes, dual hoodscoop, and shiny RIMZZZZZOldsmobile done up in a Frosted Flakes theme complete with logos, pictures of Tony the Tiger, and RIMZYou should be used to those and Meximobiles by now. I saw this the other week in traffic. http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z145/lpalaciosATX/hellokitty.jpg FABULOUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 You should be used to those and Meximobiles by now. I saw this the other week in traffic. http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z145/lpalaciosATX/hellokitty.jpg FABULOUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!HELLO KITTY!Thats about as manly as it gets, right there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin88ESiR Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 HELLO KITTY!Thats about as manly as it gets, right there. And it was a guy driving it, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 And it was a guy driving it, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Komeuppance Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Frenchi's car blew the oil feed hardline for the turbocharger I've done that, on the Vegas trip. Sotty's replacement broke. Fortunately some Autozone guy let me borrow a reflaring tool and cut and flared it in the parking lot, outside of Barstow. -Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratmtattat Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 You should be used to those and Meximobiles by now. I saw this the other week in traffic. I'm used to the Mexican style of modifying vehicles, but this stuff was a step above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89PalermoSHP Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 It looks like you guys had a good time Tim. I wish I was closer :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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