WWTBAM Bored

The boys left this morning for Graceland...with a surprise stop in Lynchburg at the Jack Daniels distillery. We led the brother to believe they'd be heading west in my dad's old green miata convertible. Cute car, but not quite befitting a dude-trip to Beale Street. He was a bit shocked when he saw the Pink Lady (1970 Cadillac DeVille convertible) came down the driveway instead. I even managed to surprise them with an Elvis specialty plate. Woo hoo!

They're heading west a day late after an inauspicious beginning. They gassed up yesterday morning and discovered a leaky fuel tank...it was gushing out of the bottom of the car! They were planning to pay a social call to our family's mechanic, but had to put him to work instead. 24 hours and a new gasket later, they finally got on the road. They called to report on all the good vibes they're getting on the road...one road worker even did a little Elvis dance for them as they passed. I guess two guys in straw cowboy hats and hideous 70's-era shades sailing down the TN backroads in a big pink boat attract a wee bit of attention!

NN bought a AAA membership last week, just in case...let's hope they don't need it!

And btw...I'll post the final music mix when I get back to my home computer in PA.

OOOH, this is all very exciting! I can't wait for the updates too!

marrymeflyfree wrote: They called to report on all the good vibes they're getting on the road...one road worker even did a little Elvis dance for them as they passed. I guess two guys in straw cowboy hats and hideous 70's-era shades sailing down the TN backroads in a big pink boat attract a wee bit of attention!

We should have video!

I'm sure you have a picture or two to share, don't you?

Post them!

BackInTex wrote:I'm sure you have a picture or two to share, don't you?

Post them!

None yet. I snapped a few of them just before they left - with the camera.

MMFF said,

Spoiler

The boys left this morning for Graceland...with a surprise stop in Lynchburg at the Jack Daniels distillery.

Did you check on the "overtime hours" at Jack Daniels for me? Sour Mash #7 seems to be in shorter supply out here, or maybe I am just drinking it too fast!

The Pink Lady is one mean bitch.

Let me begin this update by saying how bummed The Naughty Norwegian was yesterday. They were on such a high as they started out, but their euphoria tanked just as quickly as the gas pouring out of the guts of the car. But...ever adventurous and optimistic, they were psyched up yet again this morning, and ready for anything.

I got a call around 10 am. They'd been on the road about 2 hours, and had driven 100 miles over the foggy mountains that divide east and central Tennessee. The Pink Lady was holding up well and life was good. Then a text several hours later. Lynchburg was in their rearview mirror, and they were headed west on the road that would take them into Memphis. We'd had so much work done on the car, and she was faring well.

And it began to drizzle. They pulled into the next gas station to put the top up, and couldn't get the car started again. A nice local yokel gave them a jump in exchange for one of the cold beers in their cooler (in anticipation of dry Tennessee towns - not for use while driving!). And the same thing at the next gas-up, but that guy didn't imbibe. Now they're getting worried, and wishing they'd stopped at one of the many service stations they'd passed! They agree to press on and stop at the next place they come to. But, you guessed it, there are no mechanics for miles as they're now truly in the boonies.

Things start to sputter and they quickly turn off the AC and, sadly, the iPod that's playing through the tape deck...and pull into the dead and barren parking lot of an industrial park. It appears to be an alternator problem. Things were looking bleak and I could hear the disappointment in NN's voice. He hung up to call AAA.

But with the next call...."Is the tow truck coming?"

"Naaahhh! We don't need no stinkin' AAA! We have James!"

Just after hanging up earlier, they flagged down a guy in a pickup named James who just happened to have some meter to test the battery or alternator or whatever with. James confirms the diagnosis. James lives nearby and, like most folks in these parts, he has three old junkers he's "restoring". James just so happens to have three, yes three, alternators sitting around the double-wide he has on 100 acres just up the road. He gave the Pink Lady a jump, and the boys followed him home. Yeeeeehaw!

*cue Deliverance banjo

He installed the alternator and shot the shit for a while. NN asked how much. "Whatever you feel like giving me." He pulled $60 out of his wallet and was about to reach for more when James protested that it was too much. Nice folks down here in the south.

Mr. James was so nice, in fact, that he came out to meet them AGAIN after the Pink Bitch decided to dig her heels in the pavement AGAIN.

Yep. Their moment of elation and road trip serendipity was short-lived. They barely made it out of the town they'd last been stuck in when she backfired something fierce. All the lights on the dash lit up as the car died, and I fear she's uttered her last gasp. They're currently on the side of a very dark two-lane road with no shoulder in a car with no power, waiting for the tow truck that was supposed to show up an hour ago, in a town with zero motels.

And they're just 160 miles from the house were Elvis the Pelvis took his last errr...breath. Is the dream still alive? Will our two heros soon be squealing like pigs? Is the tow truck driver's name Bubba?

Tune in tomorrow and find out.

dodgersteve182 wrote:Sour Mash #7 seems to be in shorter supply out here, or maybe I am just drinking it too fast!

Hey now boy....don't forget it's called sippin' whiskey for a reason!

Ever tried Gentleman Jack? Good stuff, but I'm a bourbon gal myself...

Wow, this is bound to be a story that will be told many times for the rest of their lives, for better or worse. I'm sure it will be remembered fondly, eventually.

If they make it as far as Jackson, another emergency contact would be Steve Beverly at Union University.

I knew this would make a great road movie.

silvercamaro wrote:I knew this would make a great road movie.

They shoulda gotten themselves a silver camaro.

ulysses5019 wrote:

silvercamaro wrote:I knew this would make a great road movie.

They shoulda gotten themselves a silver camaro.

The Pink Lady is one of the major characters!

Woo hoo for James!

Boo for the Pink Lady!

Will they rent a spiffy convertible for the rest of the trip? Maybe James will give them a ride to the nearest rental car location. It sounds like they may have bonded.

I hope they make it. Car trouble is no fun.

silvercamaro wrote:

ulysses5019 wrote:

silvercamaro wrote:I knew this would make a great road movie.

They shoulda gotten themselves a silver camaro.

The Pink Lady is one of the major characters!

Ok, a pinkcamaro.

I love how PInk Lade rapidly became Pink Bitch!


t.

Did I mention the rabid dog?

Well maybe it wasn't rabid, but it sure was mad as hell. Soon after the car died, a crazy mean dog ran up to the car barking his tail off. The windows were down, but they managed to squeeze just enough juice out of the Bitch to pull the windows up by hand. They sat waiting for Bubba for about 2 hours, with crazy mean dog going nuts the whole time.

Bubba did finally show, though...towed them to a service station next to a ratty motel, and drove them to Burger King so that they could walk-thru the drive-thru. They'd been giving out beers all day to the various folks who'd helped them, but they saved two for themselves and got a good night's sleep on vibrating beds.

Fearing the worst for their trip and their wallets, they walked to the service station for Billy Joe Bob the Mechanic's opinion. With one very quick look under the hood, he says, "Well whatcha got her is a waring problem." They only understood about every third word, but think there was something about crossed wires on the "new" alternator. $45 and half an hour later, and they were off! Again!

$45. Amazing.

kayrharris wrote:Will they rent a spiffy convertible for the rest of the trip? Maybe James will give them a ride to the nearest rental car location. It sounds like they may have bonded.

The brother specifically said he won't pull up to Graceland in anything Japanese, and I'm not sure they rent many spiffy convertibles in the sticks of west Tennessee. But, for now at least, they won't have to.

MMFF said

Spoiler

Ever tried Gentleman Jack? Good stuff, but I'm a bourbon gal myself...

GJ is pretty good although a bit too mellow for me. The ultimate is Maker's Mark Bourbon! I went to a seminar last year with Ben Stein as the Keynote speaker, afterwards they had a cocktail party, the bartender seemed almost apologetic when he told me the only bourbon they were serving was Maker's Mark! Yum! Of course since I was staying overnight there and didn't need to drive I overindulged just a little....

dodgersteve182 wrote: GJ is pretty good although a bit too mellow for me. The ultimate is Maker's Mark Bourbon! I went to a seminar last year with Ben Stein as the Keynote speaker, afterwards they had a cocktail party, the bartender seemed almost apologetic when he told me the only bourbon they were serving was Maker's Mark! Yum! Of course since I was staying overnight there and didn't need to drive I overindulged just a little....

Just a little???

Have you ever tried Booker's bourbon? If not, get yer butt to a bar and try it...and let it warm up in your mouth a bit before swallowing. Yummy caramel butterscotch goodness.

I was recently given a case* of Labrot & Graham Woodford Reserve. It claims to be the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby. Its the best bourbon I've ever tasted.

*It may well be a lifetime supply for me.

themanintheseersuckersuit wrote:Its the best bourbon I've ever tasted.

Mm...Woodford. The name sounds familiar but I don't think I've tried it. Thanks for the tip!

Anything worth doing is worth suffering for. This is a trip the brothers will never forget.

They'll entertain/bore the grandchildren with the epic forever!

I can't wait to read the next installment, and am looking forward to the photos.

Lets get the screenplay down for this. What a classic American road flick coming!!

I am glad that they are on their way. Hopefully they can stock up beer and have a fabulous trip.

OMG --

What a fabu story. And we are nowhere near DONE!!