This was my last stop on my trip. Or should I say hopefully my last stop. I've returned to the Eastern Standard Time zone and am a matter of miles from the Indiana border.
Last night was spend catching with my dear friend Jared. We've known each other since high school. We have one of the friendships that allow us to pick up from where we left off last time we saw each other. It's been at least 4 years since I've seen him, but it felt like we saw each other last week. I'm so lucky to have these types of relationships in my life.
As for the trip, it's time to be home. I've been gone for 26 days now and am ready to "be still" for a little while.
- Posted from my iPhone please excuse the typos.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
A great night in Oxford
First things first...the car drove fine today. So I'm hoping whatever was wrong with it was fixed with the fuel filter. On my drive today, I went over a 17.2 mile bridge that spans a huge swamp in LA. from what I can tell from the info folks have told me, it took about 15 years to complete. Something like 35-38 workers died during the construction. Most of them died as a result of water moccasin bites. Luckily, I didn't see any of those on this trip.
Once I turned north for a little while, the scenery started to look a lot more "home-like." I drive through a lot of forest with rolling hills, tall pines and oaks, etc. I made it to Oxford and had a chance to drive around the campus of the University of Mississippi, or Ole Miss. It's a pretty campus with a lot old-growth trees, southern influenced buildings, etc. The best part was seeing the Greenes. I haven't seen them a while and it was such a treat. We had a great dinner at Proud Larry's, saw the work being done o their new house, and met some folks from Allen's office. Also, it was a lot of fun to play with the kids. I think they were happy to see a person from South Bend.
Oxford strikes me a town Charmelle and I should come back to and hang out in a little bit. It has a fun vibe and I think we would have a lot of fun hanging out at the Square. Not to mention, visiting our friends!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad.
Please excuse the typos.
Once I turned north for a little while, the scenery started to look a lot more "home-like." I drive through a lot of forest with rolling hills, tall pines and oaks, etc. I made it to Oxford and had a chance to drive around the campus of the University of Mississippi, or Ole Miss. It's a pretty campus with a lot old-growth trees, southern influenced buildings, etc. The best part was seeing the Greenes. I haven't seen them a while and it was such a treat. We had a great dinner at Proud Larry's, saw the work being done o their new house, and met some folks from Allen's office. Also, it was a lot of fun to play with the kids. I think they were happy to see a person from South Bend.
Oxford strikes me a town Charmelle and I should come back to and hang out in a little bit. It has a fun vibe and I think we would have a lot of fun hanging out at the Square. Not to mention, visiting our friends!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad.
Please excuse the typos.
Last major directional change
This trip has really been divided into 4 parts and I've just begun the last part. It started with days of driving west, then south, then east. I've just turned north on I55 and will basically continue north until I reach South Bend. I'm less than 1,000 moles from home. That is a comforting thought. I'm looking forward to seeing Charmelle and our home and friends.
- Posted from my iPhone please excuse the typos.
- Posted from my iPhone please excuse the typos.
Location:Alligator Dr,Hammond,United States
A short adventure...hopefully
After a great visit with everyone in San Antonio last night, I was up and out at 5:15 a.m. This morning to head to Duson, LA to the Wortmans. I had to leave extra early because I was dropping some stuff off in Huston for Jo. The Huston meet went fine and it was looking like I would be having lunch with David and Emily.
However, as I was driving on I10, suddenly my VUE slowed down and lights on the dash started coming one: reduced power and service engine soon! I was near an exit and took it. It led me to Orange TX. I stopped at one service place, but they weren't really interested in helping me. The focused mostly on semi trucks, but advertised auto service too. So I went out and the car started back up, but the lights were still on. So I looked on my GPS for a nearby service station and headed that way.
I found the service station, but they couldn't even look at it until Monday, the called the station behind them and that station could look at it. So over I went. Dean's Service was just around the corner and they were really nice. They checked the codes, took it for a drive and were pretty sure it was the fuel filter. Luckily they found one in tow and had it sent over. While we waited, I chatted with Dean and Linny. Both we really nice guys. Linny was an 88-year-old WWII vet that used to play in a country swing band. They had a lot of good stories and jokes and it made the time pass pretty quickly. Of course the humidity was crazy and that sort of slowed time down. The part arrived and was installed. After a test drive, the service engine light was still on, so they suggested I go to the Chevy dealer in town and let them look at it.
So I paid the bill and headed to the Chevy dealer. Their service department said they couldn't work on my Saturn and suggested I head back into TX and go to one of the remaining Saturn dealers. So I went back out to my car and piled it out of the parking area to think all of this over, and all the warning lights we off. So I called Dean and said, "I'd keep drivin." So I did. I w about 90 miles from Duson and figured Lake Charles was on the way they had some repair places if needed and that would at least put me closer to Duson.
The car ran fine with no warning lights or problems. Then I pulled off of I10 to get to David and Emily's and the lights came back on? I got to their house and just chatted and enjoyed a glass of iced tea while we figured out what to do. David took me to his mechanic and they checked for codes again. The car drove fine to the garage, but the "service engine soon" light was still on. The code looks to be an air sensor error and Scott, the mechanic, said it was fine and I can get back to IN. David trusts him and says he is quite conservative with things like this, so I should be fine. I'm heading to Oxford, MS tomorrow, so I'll have 425 miles to find out.
Beyond the car issues, things are great. I so love visiting with Wortmans. It's always a great time and I'm sad t be on the road after only a day.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad.
Please excuse the typos.
However, as I was driving on I10, suddenly my VUE slowed down and lights on the dash started coming one: reduced power and service engine soon! I was near an exit and took it. It led me to Orange TX. I stopped at one service place, but they weren't really interested in helping me. The focused mostly on semi trucks, but advertised auto service too. So I went out and the car started back up, but the lights were still on. So I looked on my GPS for a nearby service station and headed that way.
I found the service station, but they couldn't even look at it until Monday, the called the station behind them and that station could look at it. So over I went. Dean's Service was just around the corner and they were really nice. They checked the codes, took it for a drive and were pretty sure it was the fuel filter. Luckily they found one in tow and had it sent over. While we waited, I chatted with Dean and Linny. Both we really nice guys. Linny was an 88-year-old WWII vet that used to play in a country swing band. They had a lot of good stories and jokes and it made the time pass pretty quickly. Of course the humidity was crazy and that sort of slowed time down. The part arrived and was installed. After a test drive, the service engine light was still on, so they suggested I go to the Chevy dealer in town and let them look at it.
So I paid the bill and headed to the Chevy dealer. Their service department said they couldn't work on my Saturn and suggested I head back into TX and go to one of the remaining Saturn dealers. So I went back out to my car and piled it out of the parking area to think all of this over, and all the warning lights we off. So I called Dean and said, "I'd keep drivin." So I did. I w about 90 miles from Duson and figured Lake Charles was on the way they had some repair places if needed and that would at least put me closer to Duson.
The car ran fine with no warning lights or problems. Then I pulled off of I10 to get to David and Emily's and the lights came back on? I got to their house and just chatted and enjoyed a glass of iced tea while we figured out what to do. David took me to his mechanic and they checked for codes again. The car drove fine to the garage, but the "service engine soon" light was still on. The code looks to be an air sensor error and Scott, the mechanic, said it was fine and I can get back to IN. David trusts him and says he is quite conservative with things like this, so I should be fine. I'm heading to Oxford, MS tomorrow, so I'll have 425 miles to find out.
Beyond the car issues, things are great. I so love visiting with Wortmans. It's always a great time and I'm sad t be on the road after only a day.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad.
Please excuse the typos.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
One word...TRAFFIC!
It was a great treat to see Sharon, Corintha, Lonnie, LJ, Ida, and Brooke. While it was a short visit, it was fun!
San Antonio is a big city. With big cities comes LOTS of traffic. Wow, this was by far the worst traffic I've ha so far on my trip. Of course, tomorrow I get to drive through Huston. Let's hope for a simple drive.
- Posted from my iPhone please excuse the typos.
San Antonio is a big city. With big cities comes LOTS of traffic. Wow, this was by far the worst traffic I've ha so far on my trip. Of course, tomorrow I get to drive through Huston. Let's hope for a simple drive.
- Posted from my iPhone please excuse the typos.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Small world
According to my Satirn VUE, it's time for another oil change. So I've stopped off in Kerrville TX for a short break and oil change.
As they ate checking my car in, the guys asks where I'm from and upon my answer tells me he is from Columbus IN. What a small world. He was excited about the new era of Irish football and talked about it for a while.
Once the oil change is done, I'll head the ahort distance to San Antonio.
- Posted from my iPhone please excuse the typos.
As they ate checking my car in, the guys asks where I'm from and upon my answer tells me he is from Columbus IN. What a small world. He was excited about the new era of Irish football and talked about it for a while.
Once the oil change is done, I'll head the ahort distance to San Antonio.
- Posted from my iPhone please excuse the typos.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Officially turning East
After a GREAT visit in Tucson, it's time to turn east. I'm sitting here looking at the mountains enjoying a breakfast burrito and coffee before hitting the road.
It's a small world. As I sit here, I notice the guy next to me has an ND tattoo. So of course we chat for a little while about South Bend and the Irish.
- Posted from my iPhone please excuse the typos.
It's a small world. As I sit here, I notice the guy next to me has an ND tattoo. So of course we chat for a little while about South Bend and the Irish.
- Posted from my iPhone please excuse the typos.
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