not too good road trip

[RICH MUISE]

First, yesterday I was going to do a post about my road trip bitchin about issues with rain amoungst other things, then I read about Ida and realized I wasn't looking at my trip in the proper perspectives compared to what James and Lynn are probably going thru........so, for your entertainment, lol.........
I ve had two bad road trip in the 53k miles I've logged on the '57 in 5 years. The first was going to the first annual NSRA show in Alburquerque, when I lost a fuel line connection and blew an alternator on the same trip. My second bad road trip was this past weekend going to the second annual Alburquerque car show!
Friday was pretty nice, got to the registration hotel about 11 am after a nice 280 mile cruise. Almost nobody there at the hotelexcept for the nsra officials. I was #660..very low. It was hot, all the shaded spots were already taken when I got to the fairgrounds. The altitude, pollens, heat, and some smoke from the western fires were all giving me breathing issues. Couldn't get my car detailed. After about an hour, I went looking at cars and tried to find a restroom. Where I was parked was near one end of an overhead chair lift that runs thru part of the fairgrounds. Finally found a restroom quite a ways away from my car, stopping about every 5 minutes to catch my breath along the way. After leaving the restroom, I noticed the other end of the chairlift was right there, so I figured the $5 was better than walking back. I hate heights, but it was a nice different view of all the cars. Halfway back the chairlift stopped and just sat there for 20-25 minutes in the 92-degree heat. GRRRRR!!
I couldn't handle the heat anymore, and the air conditioned casino at the entrance to the fairgrounds was sounding like a much better idea, so I packed up and left about 4pm. Casino was nice, played about 2 hours and was even, so I left for another casino north on I25 near Rio Rancho. Played there about 4 hours, was even again....so 6 hours of my favorite entertainment free!! I sleep in my car alot, and I knew there was a nice rest area on I25 near Santa Fe, so drove there. Light rain, beautiful view of the night lights of Santa Fe at the overlook/ rest area. Popped a couple tylenol PMs, dug out my pillow, threw the seat back and woke up at sunrise the next morning. All in all, a nice day, but then came Saturday..........
to be continued

[RICH MUISE]

So, I'm at the rest stop watching the sunrise coming up over the mountains above Santa Fe, got out to have a cigarette. There were already 3 or 4 of the other people there out watching the sunrise, so went over to talk. One of them was telling a woman all about my car. WTH? He looked at me, smiled, and said he met me at a Santa Fe car show 3 years ago. He even remembered my drivetrain, and my unusual wiper system! It turns out the people there were not travellers at all, but homeless folks living out of their cars. Not one of them what you would picture as your normal homeless. Later model SUVs and Pickups, well dressed, etc., etc. One woman in particular, in her 40's, cute blond school teacher type, I regret not asking how she got in that position. I'll be forever curious.  So, 5 people out there, all individuals that knew each other, no couples. They had it down pat, mattresses in their suv' or covered pickups, and even black-out covers for the outside lights over the picnic tables. They drove their cars to the restrooms, I later figured out was to change the position of any chaulk marks that might have been put on their tires overnight.
On the way back to Alburquerque, a 70s Stingray came on the interstate and pulled up next to me, gave me a thumbs-up, and nailed it. I was already doing 75, but got the urge, so I nailed it hard enough to kick it out of overdrive and lift the front end a little. Kept right up to him for a 1/2 mile or so, then we both backed off. I was sure wishing I had Lynn's car then, lol.
I forgot to mention, Friday driving in, I noticed my voltmeter was at 14.5. It's always been at 13 unless I have something like the headlights or A/C on, then 12ish. It was the first time I ever saw it that high. WTH? Not sure if it had anything to do with what was to come. It stayed like that for an hour or so, then went back to normal.
Same breathing issues at the show, but I did manage to get the car detailed a little. Got very hot, not too many walking around, and very little interest in my car, at least as far as getting into discusions. Probably didn't talk to more than a 1/2 dozen all morning. Sat there half the morning thinking it was time I needed to re-evaluate my attending as many big shows as I have been. I'm thinking the long roadtrips are fine, but my health just makes the big car shows pretty tough any more. So, 6 hours there, I decided to leave at 2.....that's 5 hours earlier than I left the NSRA show in Pueblo. Should have been home about 6:30 or so. Turned out to be midnight!
to be cont.

[hiball3985]

The chair lift sounds like it couldn't get any worst so we will wait to hear about Sunday. The last time I was in Santa Fe we had a non stop lightning storm that lasted for eight hours, unbelievable..

You posted before I finished typing and posting 

[RICH MUISE]

I called my wife from the chairlift because I knew she'd get a kick out of it knowing I hate heights, lol.
Central Ave in ALburquerque is the old rt66, and a main road there that goes right past the fairgrounds. I packed up and got ready to leave, my car started right up as usual. I left the fairgrounds on Central and was in the turn lane for Louisianna (another omen??), another main street, when my car just died. WTH?? It would not start back up. Cars behind me blowing their horns when the light turned green. I turned my flashers on, didn't stop the guy behind me from blowing his horn. Good thing I don't carry firearms. I called 911, even though 3 police cars already drove right past me. They sent out a cop (really good guy, very helpful). He and another cop directed traffic around me. He asked what he could do to help. I replied I obviously just needed to get my car out of traffic to a parking lot where I could check it out. He said he could call a tow truck, but they would tow it to an impound yard. WTH?? I said no, this car is NOT going to an impound yard, can I call AAA? He said yes, but if they were not there in 30 minutes, he'd have to call their tow service. AAA was going to be 60 minutes. He then told me they could try to push it into the KFC parking lot I had just passed. I told him great, but not with his police car as I did n't have a back bumper. He said no, we'll push it by hand. He got 2 guys from the bus stop I was next to help, and 2 guys in classic Chevs had stopped to help as well. So, got the car into the KFC parking lot, and did what I should have done when in the street..first thing I checked and found was a loose battery cable. I keep a 5/16 battery side terminal wrench in my glovebox, so was a 2-minute fix. The car started right up. Made me wonder about the voltage spike  I was seeing Friday...if there was any connection (or lack of, lol). That car is really hard to steer without the power steering running. I lost my breath and had to sit there for 5 minutes to catch it. Somehere in that time, I lost one of the plastic pieces from my eyeglasses. Uncomfortable, and just adding to my irritation..........but my long day was just beginning.
to be cont.

[hiball3985]

Oh my god!! what a day. I understand about the breathing issues as I deal with it everyday. Your car should have only stopped if it was the ground cable. With an alternator or generator you can totally remove the positive cable with the car running and it should remain running.

[RICH MUISE]

Not on a computer run car.......at least mine.

[RICH MUISE]

OK, got to get this finished up and go work on my car.
So, got about 50 miles out of Alburquerque. Stoped at Clines Corners for gas, and saw the rainstorm ahead. Lots of thunder and lightning. OK, no biggie. A few minutes later, back on I40, I saw the rain coming in hard and fast, so tried to put the window up that I had partway down for smoking. Wouldn't go up!! WTH?? tried the passenger window, went up and down just fine. Tried the down button on the driver's window, went down further just fine, but no up!! URGG. The rain started hard, really hard. brake lights on all the semi's ahead started coming on. Speed down to 35-40 My window is 3/4 way down and I'm getting soaked. I put my hazzard lights back on. Went on like this for 20 minutes or so. When water started building on the highway, I was just getting drenched when the semi's passed. Fun! I finally pulled off at a ranch road exit......rain coming down so hard and at an angle. even my console was getting soaked. Nowhere to go at that exit. Couldn't think of anything I had to block the window off. Couldn't turn around to get the car in a better position to keep rain out. After 15 minutes or so, it started letting up, so got back on the highway. Didn't last long. Another wave of thunder, lightning, and windblown heavy rain 15 miles down. Semis down to 35 again, you know it's bad visability! Getting soaked again. Trying to hug the steering wheel to keep from getting soaked even more. Finally an exit with a Love's. I also finally remembered in the trunk somewhere I had an emergency foil/mylar blanket. The kind that fold up into a pocket size package. Found it, covered my window, changed to a dry shirt and dry jacket I keept in the trunk. Not much good..... even my undershorts and socks were soaked. It's getting dark, and I realized pretty soon I wouldn't be able to see the storms ahead I was driving into, so when it lightened up again, I hit the road. Once again, after a half hour, traffic stopping rains. Lots of lightning on both sides. It was dark. Another 1/2 hour of getting drenched, and finally another exit. This one said "Montoya", but should have been marked "twilight zone" 20 or so trucks and cars jammed in a small area. Covered my window again, pulled out my pillow, and took a short nap. It was very cold and I was very soaked. When I woke up, 1/2 the trucks were gone, so I pulled back out, or tried to. almost all the roads were marked "do not enter" What? I turned around figuring I missed a road.it was hard to see anything in the darkness. Same thing the other way. A few gated roads to ranches, but others marked do not enter. So, turned around again, and went down a road that said Montoya --->>>. It crossed a bridge over I40 and became the surface road the highway. Looked like it hadn't had traffic for years. Weeds covering half the eastbound lane. Dips in the road flooded out. Kinda scary, the only reason I kept going was it was heading in the right direction, and following right beside I 40. I called my wife and told her if I was never to be seen again.......Followed that road for 15 or so miles, finally took a right turn thru a one lane underpass under the highway. But I stopped short for a minute. It looked flooded out, and was it turning into a dirt road?? I never saw a "Montoya", or any side roads for that matter, and no buildings. I finally realized, it hadn't turned into a dirt road, it was the dirt washing down over the roadway from the storm. Finally after another 15 minutes, I found a highway entrance and escaped the twighlight zone. I gotta go back some time in the daylight and figure out what that area was. I decided no more stopping, and in fact finally drove out of the rain around Tuchemcarrie.
So, got home about midnight, still soaked and stressed. The good side was, the car ran great, my hazard lights really came in handy, as did my multi-speed intermittent wipers (although most the time were on just one step below the fastest).
I think it's time to evaluate my roadtrips, or at least the big show attendance. Just a few minutes ago, I was running the power window system thru my head, and realized the problem could be a 15 second fix........my wireless contact switches on the door jamb for the windows. If one of the spring loaded contacts is stuck, that could very easily be the problem. My point is, I never thought of that in the hours of having the problem, as I never thought of checking my battery cable when the car was still in the middle of the road earlier that afternoon. I'll be 75 in a few months. My brain just doesn't function like it should or did.

[terry_208]

Sounds as if your whole trip was directly out of the "Twilight Zone".

[djfordmanjack]

Wow Rich, glad you 'lived to tell the story'....sometimes when it rains it really pours. so to speak.
I've had similar experiences, where everything really seems to be against one and we should rather have stayed home instead.

But what about the joy we live on sucessful road trips and adventures. those certainly make up for the odd and stressing trip.

[djfordmanjack]

heres a song for your memories, Rich...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aswTMtqtUWI

[RICH MUISE]

An Elvis song I hadn't heard....thanks G.
My window issue is in the power unit itself. The nylon casing for the worm drive broke. I believe I had the same issue with the passenger side when installing it, and I think I fixed it with copper tubing.

[alvin stadel]

Man Rich that sounds like quit a road trip. Now I am going to tell you a story that may interest you.  My youngest twin, when you have twins there is the oldest and the youngest  Is at the Sergeant Major Academy in Fort Bliss Tx, {El Paso] Bare with me as the story goes on. I restored a 65Falcon 2DHT and gave it to him about 9 years ago. However he has never been able to take it with him because of where he was stationed. Only got to drive and play with it when he was home. Well he finally got to take it with him this summer and is meeting a lot of new people that like cars. He was having a little lifter problem and has made friend with this mechanic that mainly works on cars like we all like and he is very fond of Fords. This guys shop is in Las Cruces NM. This guy went to car show in Albuquerque. He dosen't do many shows but I guess he likes this one.  Now for the good stuff. He has a 65 mint green and white comit 2Dht, He took some pictures of it and many other fords. Jason, my son forwarded them to me. Would you believe the last picture was of a grey 1957 Ford 2 door custom. I couldn't believe it as it is your car. Kind of neat, neither my son or his friend had any idea that though the forum I would know about this car. As they say it's a small world. Hope this made you smile as it did me. Take care Alvin

[RICH MUISE]

That definitely put a smile on my face....sooooo cool! Thanks for sharing. I guess your son's friend liked my car. I wonder if we talked. Also at the show in Albuquerque, a guy came up and asked if I remembered a yellow Camaro in the lane next to me at the gas station in Amarillo the previous Wednesday! He said "that was me"!
Now I gotta tell another long story.
Just two weeks ago, I did a local car show. A 90-year-old guy came over and started talking about how he remembers his new '57 Fords he bought in '57. One thing in our discussion led to another, and after a while, thru some unbelievable coincidences, we realized we were both from New England, and both had history back to Canada. The amazing thing was not only were both our grandfathers farmers in New Brunswick, but they both also had farms right on the coast between two very small towns only 5 miles apart! Our grandfathers were neighbors, and probably right-next-door neighbors given the size of both farms and the short distance they were located in. I hadn't been up there for 50+ years, but he went up frequently until the early 0's, so he remembered a lot of details. His mouth dropped open when I told him my mother's maiden name and my grandmother's maiden name. He has cousins with both last names! My grandmothers maiden name was Cormier, and there's a Cormierville not too far from Bouctouche and Shediac..the two towns mentioned. Also in the area is a Breau village.......Breau being my grandfather's name.

[mustang6984]

So...are you trying to knock me off the throne as the member with the most annoying cross-country trips? I think I have the lead yet...but you sure made a heck of a start in trying to keep up with me! LOL!!!
I'd be happy to let you take the front runner status...I am ready for a return to my trips without the drama (and angst/expense) and just go back to boring drives with no "excitement"!      

[Ford Blue blood]

Rich your road trip falls a touch below the "Trains, Planes and Automobiles" movie with John Candy......nearly falls into the "I don't care who you are, that there is funny" category.  Glad all came out OK.