Suggestions for a Road Trip?

[zeebad1]

We spent the day with our son in Nacogdoches, TX. He is moving this week, so we got to help with packing & cleaning. 100 degree temps didn't make that very enjoyable.

We did visit the Ellen Trout Zoo in Lufkin, and took some pictures there. Nice little zoo, and about my size.

On the way back, we stopped at

http://www.collectable-cars.com/

and checked out the inventory.

My wife also got a kick out of a billboard she saw, and had to have a picture of that.
Fitting that we went to CC's Smokehouse, and had a delicious Sirlion steak for supper. (Sorry cows!!)


























More packing & moving tomorrow, and heading home Wed.





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[zeebad1]

We finally got the moving finished today. It's amazing how much stuff a 2 year college student can acquire in just over 1 year!

We ate lunch with Cory, shared hugs & tears, and headed north.

The whole time we were in Nacogdoches, the car seemed to wander quite a bit, but I just thought it was the grooves in the pavement. Once we got on some better roads, we could tell that it wasn't the roads, and there was definitely something loose in the rear suspension. The car would drive fine for a while, and then the back end would just dart from side to side.

We stopped at a garage in Timpson, TX. that had a 4 post lift, and we found that an upper control arm bolt had loosened up, and was less than finger tight. The left tire had the tread worn completely off too. I didn't look at the tires since we left Childress, and the tires had an equal amount of tread at that time.

The garage owner tightened the bolt, checked most of the others, and away we went. He asked for $10.00, and as I only had a $20.00, that's what he got.

It didn't take long too long to figure out that the problem was still there, and we started searching for a tire shop, hoping that we could at least find a tire to get us home.

The first 2 places that "Google" listed, didn't have anything, but could get one for morning.
The second shop sounded very willing to help, and could do alignment, if necessary. We were about 2 blocks from them, when we spotted

Eagle Tire
1104 E End Blvd S
Marshall, TX 75670

It was an old gas station, that had the pumps removed, about 5 garage bays, with 4 full of tires, and one with tire equipment. Not very impressive looking, but what caught my eye was the display of some big chrome truck rims, and mountains of tires outside.
I thought that it was worth a shot, so I pulled in, and was approached by a gentleman that could barely understand English. I did show him what I needed, and he took me into the office, where the manager spoke less English than the mechanic, but they quickly figured out what I wanted. It just so happens that they had (4) Goldway G2003 275/40R20 tires on hand, and I told them I'd take 2.




No lift on site, and they had me back up in front of the building, and jacked the car up with a floor jack. Once they got the rims off, I found that one of the toe-rod bolts had also loosened up, and was the cause of the problem. I borrowed a socket, and tightened the bolt, and all was good.
I don't know anything about Goldway tires, but am sure thankful for Eagle Tire, and the way they took care of me. I bet I wasn't there for 45 minutes. 3 guys jumped in, and got us back on the road.

We made it to Brinkley, AR. tonight, and have just over 600 miles to get home tomorrow.

Not much for photo opportunities today, but I'm kicking myself for not taking pictures of the shops we stopped at, the loose bolts, and the new tires.

One more day, so we'll see what tomorrow brings.

[Ladybugsmom]

Wow. Hope you found a tire shop!! I had to check that distance to satisfy my curiosity... Only 420 miles to lose that much tread???

[zeebad1]

Slow down, and reread the last post Jeanette. It may have been my fault, as I hit the "submit" button, before I was done typing!!

I know that we hit some nasty bumps throughout the trip, and evidently things loosened up for the last several hundred miles. I really didn't notice any swaying until we got into Nacogdoches, and blamed it on the roads then. (I should have known better!!) it was well over 100 degrees for that last stretch also, so that probably didn't help matters either.
Yes, we definitely found a "diamond in the rough!!"

They could have charged me anything they wanted for those 2 tires, and I would have paid it, but I believe $365.00 for the pair, mounted & balanced was fair.

I know nothing about these tires, but didn't have any other options, so I'm happy to be on the road, and headed home.

I have another pair of 305's at home, so I'll get them put on as soon as we get back.

[Ladybugsmom]

Haha! I must have been responding at the same time you were finishing the story!
Glad to hear problem was found and fixed, and that you have tires to get home safely on! I always have issues with ruts in the road, probably woulld have thought the same thing until the car fell apart!

[zeebad1]

We got home tonight, around 7:30.

It's amazing that I can spend 3 weeks and a day with my wife, cover 15 states, and still be on speaking terms!!!

Honestly, we had a blast, and learned that there's more to see in this country, than we can probably ever cover.

I now realize that I can leave for an extended period of time, and things don't completely come to a screeching halt.

Pretty much just a mission to get home today, without any stops.

Sheree had more than enough of the Rte. 66 memories, but one notable stop, that myself, and 2 of our sons visited 2 1/2 years ago was right on the way home. I showed pictures of all of us posing on this giant rabbit, and asked her if she wouldn't do it for me, would she for her sons. That's all it took for her to agree to stop by Henry's Rabbit Ranch at Stauton, IL. Even with the rain, she hopped up on the rabbit, and I snapped the picture. The boys got a kick out of that, as they remembered our trip very well that day.
That, and all of the Volkswagen Rabbits, along with tombstones for all of the rabbits that Henry has had over the years, it's quite an interesting place.

On to home, and total miles are 7263.3. All in 22 days!!

Back to work tomorrow, but we will always have many memories of this cross country trip!!

[Ladybugsmom]

That is a very cute picture on the rabbit, Sheree!!
I'm glad you made it home safely and still speaking to each other...
I know I had talked with Sheree about travel, but you may have been talking with Chuck in the shop at the time... Anyway, my travel goal was to see all 7 continents. I've achieved that, so now need to set a new one... I'm thinking cruising the whole lower 48 in my Camaro sounds fun, and now that you've done a big chunk of it, I think I just might,do that!!
Thanks for all the great pics and stories to go along with them. And thanks for taking the time to meet when you were here. When I'm in your neck of the woods, I'll give you a call!!

[zeebad1]

Thanks for the kind words Jeanette. We did have a great time, and are also glad that we got to spend some time with you, and others that we had never met, other than electronically, before.

I did not realize that you had already covered so much of the globe, but "good for you!!"
There's so much of this "United States" to see, that I can't imagine the need for us to travel to another country. We are already creating the list for what to see & do the next time!!

I hope you do take a tour of the states, and definitely be sure to holler when you get this way. What the heck. You can holler any time you like!!


Thanks again, Gary & Sheree.

[zeebad1]

I just added up all of the fuel receipts for this trip, and thought that I would share.

We used a total of 302.5 gal., at an average cost of $4.045/gal.
Higher priced than I thought.

The surprising fact is that the car averaged 24.005 mpg over the whole trip.
I know that my 4th gen will run 28 mpg on the highway, but didn't think this car would do this well.