On the road...again!

[mustang6984]

I will call you later today with a progress report. Won't be in to Amarillo until late late late tonight.

[RICH MUISE]

Hugh should be in Amarillo for lunch! He had a wiring issue with his boat trailer in Utah and spent most of yesterday morning rewiring. When he called mid-afternoon, he was 11 hours out from Amarillo.

[RICH MUISE]

Last I heard from Hugh was about 4 pm as he was crossing over into Texas on I40, which is about an hour from Amarillo. He was going to go straight thru to Clinton, Ok, and pull over for the night. He couldn't log onto the internet last night from NM, maybe having the same problem tonight.?

[mustang6984]

Nope...just got to this part now.

I am indeed i Clinton OK. Good thing I stopped here. Seems the ring used to pull the boat OUT of the water...lost it's 2 nuts...and the ring pulled out whilst I was motoring down the road. Boat has slid 1/3 of the way off the trailer.    So...now I have to figure out how to get it back UP where it belongs...then strap it in with one of my trailer straps. Geeze! I just cannot have one EASY trip!!!
I'll deal with it tomorrow after I get up though. I need sleep! And  shower! And a shave! Only 355 more miles to go...5 hours and 41 minutes!!! 

[RICH MUISE]

How do you load it on the trailer normally? Winch on the truck? There is an Ace Hardware on Gary Blvd there in Clinton if you need cable, hardware, come-a-long etc. If not a tow truck maybe could rig up something?

[mustang6984]

Normally the now no longer mounted ring is clipped with a hook and then a hand-cranked winch pulls it on to the boat trailer. With that ring out, I either have to unload all the stuff in the boat and put it back in with new nuts/washers. or find another way to get it back up onto the trailer then secure it for the remaining portion of the trip. A come-along will do the trick, I just hate to buy ANOTHER one...I have 3-4 at home now. But that would be better than unloading the stuff in the boat and then re-loading. So...that will probably be the ticket. I can also use the come-along to secure it along with some trailer straps which I happen to have with me.
Fun stuff!

[RICH MUISE]

It's a 3 hour drive, but if you need an extra pair of hands, or need me to bring something, call me in the AM. That Gary Blvd I mentioned, btw, is the I40 business loop. I'm going to bed

[mustang6984]

I think I can get it. I am pretty sure the come-along will handle the pull. The rollers are all free and loose...so that will make it easier.
Luckily I had so many ropes tied on it to keep the tarp over the stuff inside the boat, that it didn't come off! THAT would have been a mess of ungodly proportions! Every curse possible has hit me on this move I think!
Thanks for the offer...hopefully I won't need to take advantage of it!

I am off to the shower, then bed myself! I am going to dream about sitting IN the boat...reeling in fish! 

[alvin stadel]

Hugh, after all these years, and keeping up with your move, I realize I am not the only guy born under the wrong star.

[mustang6984]

LOL!!! Sometimes it can sure feel like it!

[mustang6984]

  FINALLY!!! The epic cross country move has come to an end! Four trips, at 4200 miles each round trip for the first three, about 5400 miles for the last one. I bought my pick-up on July 30th, the same day I signed papers on my house. The truck had 119+k on it, now there is 155+k on the odometer!

I arrived in Shell Knob MO around 8 p.m. local time! My poor boat trailer was barely up to the task, and will need some serious work done to it. I was not aware of just how bad off it was. But it survived the horrid road conditions that are standard with driving across New Mexico. However, I only have $500 invested in the boat and trailer combined, (traded a '69 Mustang shell and 302 motor I had paid $500 for) so no big deal. It's a 21 footer with seating for 6 and a 100 horse Evinrude that purrs.

Unloading all the stuff inside it and the truck will come tomorrow. Then next week I need to catch up on paper work re: apartment building and taxes. Oh Boy! UGH! Maybe...I should take another cross countr...nah...I'll just get a LOT of chocolate chip cookies and do the paper work!  Then comes increasing the size of the lean-to's so I can get cars and other things under them before hail season starts.

So...the saga is over...for now. I will be heading to Montana at some point to see Alvin and pick up my hood...and shoot some pics of that so BEAUTIFUL retractable! Also need to squeeze in a trip to MI for Courier parts...and my 50th high school reunion is this August. So...more miles yet for 2021. But they will be fun miles!   

[djfordmanjack]

congratulations Hugh ! You made it !

As a European I cannot even imagine such a move and then with all your gear and car projects...several cross country trips like that. I wouldn't be able to move 20 miles out of town, if I had to move all of my junk with me.
last year 2020 I didn't even drive 2000 miles, ALL of my cars combined.

so - well, you are probably a seasoned driver by now...

[mustang6984]

It was a challenge in many ways...patience for sure!

[djfordmanjack]

I hope your new house has a neat porch, so you can put up your feet high and enjoy that easy chair for a while !
My porch faces the property, so I can look at my cars when feet are up. 

[mustang6984]

I do have a nice front porch. And deep too...so we can sit out there and watch thunder and lightening storms in the distance! Going to add another to the back of the house during the remodel as well. Come and visit...we'll be sure to have plenty of food!