the play by play -part 2-
Tue20
The GPS suggests we take CT-15, it's shorted that I-95. Ok we say, ignoring the multiple "no trucks" sign leading to CT-15. The max height for the route is posted and we have experimentally deduced that we are under that limit previously, ride on. A short distance on that highway we see an oasis. At this point Zhu-li is sleeping on the floor by the heater and need a pit stop after driving for hours. Since I'm at a gas station I might as well top off the bus.
This was a bad idea.
Five miles later, on a hill, across the road from a cop, I lose power, downshift, lose power, downshift, lose power... and stall. Sh!t.
I'd already started pulling onto the shoulder but got only maybe 20% of the way there. Hurray for air brakes. It's not busy at all so I engage the clutch with the goal of coasting and maneuvering backwards onto the shoulder. No power steering. Sh!t.
I climb out of the bus to restart it (didn't know I could use the ignition key at the time, had always used the undercarriage starter) and she won't catch. Sh!t.
Cop who had to drive a good few miles to get to us from the other side pulls up. Sheiiiit.
Fortunately this Officer Ryan is well tempered and just wants to see us safely off the highway, for now. A series of miracles ensue.
Miracle! We get the engine to turn over!
Miracle! With three feet on as many pedals, Katie revs the gas and I work the clutch and brake and we shift into first AND GET MOVING!
VICTORY! The engine strains but we gloriously crest the hill and.....
have to pull off the road at the next exit at the top of the hill. That moment however felt epic. Note that I have never started a manual vehicle on a grade before. Big win here. That vibe however was short lived.
As nice as Officer Ryan was he dutifully had me ticketed and towed. He could have been harsher, I only got fined for the unregistered vehicle. I wouldn't have gotten far anyways, the bus being poisoned and all. I still did not know the cause of the incident at the time.
And so began Blunderbuss' 5 day sejour in Stamford CT's in the company of Lone Star.
Lone Star is the towing company and repair shop we ended up at. They dropped Katie and I off at the train station to regroup, rest, and come up with our action plan for the day when, you know, they and the rest of the world are actually awake.
We did indeed formulate a plan that night, especially since Katie had classes that afternoon she didn't want to miss. (Though we ended up missing the classes anyways oops). But before getting into that I will defer to Katie to describe... the night at the station!
So, you want to hear of the fable of the Bust Trip, featuring Rooster and the Homeless Clan, eh? Well gather round children, as I tell you this pirate’s tale.
There we were, left off by the dreaded tow truck crew of incredibly nice people at the train station for the night, our bus haven immobilized, captured. Lo! What were we to do, a pirate crew of two without a ship (Captain's edit: barge) to sail? Yargh, said we as we performed the walk of shame to the station, our jimmies thoroughly rustled.
In the station we went, silence creeping upon our lips like a yeti. Surrounding us were a clan of homeless folk, staring us down. We did not belong here.
But lo! Out from the deafening silence came a voice, NAY, a cock-a-doodly-doo! Suddenly we turned our heads to see a glorious, magnificent being, whose hair whispered sweet nothings into the wind, ROOSTER, leader of the homeless folk! He took us under his metaphorical wing and gave us an honorary seat amongst the clan, teaching us such wonderful things as how to fool the night patrol, let go of our humanity to release sexy animal noises in the air, and who could forget the glory of sleeping on a trash can, a throne of titans!
Much merriment was found that night.
As the morning sun rose, we shielded our eyes and shook our legs, only to find that we could not feel our legs as all circulation had been cut off in the uncomfortable positions we endured. Alas, such sacrifices are necessary when adventure calls thy name!
Daybrake! And off we were, ready for the new day!
Here's the plan (times are opening business hours):
7AM-Hertz: Rent a car for return in MA (contingency to the bus not starting up)
7:30-LoneStar opens, get special access to the vehicle to retrieve title Usually you're not allowed to get items from the vehicle, eg Katie' laptop which she needs for schoolwork, until the fee is paid off.
7:45-DMV opens, confirm over smartphone my insurance policy number (another post on insurance at a later, mamamia). The DMV lady likes to talk about how "America isn't what it used to be." I humor her but I get an elbow jab from Zhu-li; we're on a schedule. I look at the temp registration, under vehicle type it says "van." I look at the old title and it says "bus." *shrug* so much the better, I've got my paperwork done!
We stop by Bank of America, except it's not a bank of america, just an ATM kiosk. hmm dunno if I can pull out $800 this week (cash towing fee) but with the combined powers of my Debit
and Credit card I get the paper money I need. My wallet's never felt fatter. The feeling is short lived.
Distances and morning traffic and the DMV being what they are the morning runaround takes a few hours.
Back at Lone Star I pay my dues and try to start the bus. Nothing. We hook up 3 big trucks to the battery... nothing.
Now it's afternoon and we've got a hot air canon warming up the engine, starter fluid, those trucks... nothing can't turn over and we start getting black smoke. I get asked a question, I'm skeptical but look at the receipt from the last gs station and to my horror: 30 gallons.... REGULAR. noooooooo
At this point it's too late for Katie classes. She's mad, I'm beaten. We drive back to MA at our lowest.
Fri23
A few days go by and Friday I get a call from LoneStar. They drove the bus around the block... she's fixed! I look at the weather: snowstorms Saturday. I call up Katie, she get's off at 4pm. I call back LoneStar, they close at 10pm nice. I call up Hertz in MA, they have cars available! I call up Hertz in CT, the close at 7pm. I do the math: the trip from Katie's location takes a little under 3 hours. It's tight. I call Katie, she's game. I make the calls and an hour later I'm at the car rental being handed the keys to a Ford Focus.
What a lame car. The Chevy Spark at least knew what it was and rocked it. Driving the Focus feels like it's just whining at you at whole time. Literally the engine whines. The Ford Fiesta we rented on the way from CT at least had fun LED lights inside. Anyways, there's no time, /endrant Time to pick up Katie and blitz down down to Stamford.
We make it to the Hertz with single digit minutes to spare!!
Since we have a few hours before they Lone Star closes we decide to hoof it and scout out dinner on the way. We feast from the fast-serving take-out lane of a place called Dinosaur BBQ. It was excellent.
Now at Lone Star, we exchange currency, I hop in the bus aaaaand
It doesn't start.
IT DOESN'T START! Will this charade never end!
We get the guys out there, they try and do what they can but it's near closing and they'll look at it in the morning. They're nice enough to chauffeur us - in a massive flatbed truck - to a hotel.
Sidenote: The Amsterdam Hotel in Stamford CT is very nice for a good price. Better than a train station trashcan for sure.
Sat24
Lazy morning lounging in the hotel, complementary breakfast and lunch at the Tacobell next door. Every couple hours I call up Lone Star and see what's up. Supposedly they're 'running around town looking for parts'. The hotel's lobby has very nice leather couches, I don't mind the wait.
Finally, we get the call. All set! We get picked up, pay for new batteries, Blunderbuss is running when get there and off we go!
We avoid CT-15.
Some roads have construction and the lanes are miiiiighty tight. Big cold watery drop on our left in a floaty bus and roaring trucks to the right. Not cool. We make it back to Mass unscathed.
I drop Katie off in downtown Worcester. It's rush hour but I guess the storm warning scared everyone away haha! Not this pair of loonies!
I do a driveby of my old apparment where my old housemates still are. That was brief but fun (nowhere to park, also getting dark and snowy).
Good time to mention that the driver side window is broken. Like nearly shattered broken. And the window can only be opened enough to pass most of my hand and arm outside. This made tolls, talking to Officer Ryan, and waving to my friends doable, but hilariously awkward.
Now to solo ride the 2-3 hours back to my house through a building blizzard. Fortunately the bus keeps warm very easily. In fact my throttle foot is right next to a heater vent and is uncomfortably warm.
I hit slow traffic. Far ahead I see sets of tall yellow flashers and a long stream of red rear lights behind. Must be monster plow trucks. I think I'm in third gear to keep page with the molasses of traffic but in retrospect I think I was still in 5th. No wonder bus struggled on the shallow but slow grades. Also at those times the engine heat would rise, despite the subzero conditions.
<SKOOLIES: WHAT'S AN APPROPRIATE ENGINE TEMP FOR A DETROIT 6-71 ?>
Eventually the traffic gives way and I get to my exit. At that point my one working windshield wiper FRICKIN LOSES ITS MIND! The duct tape fix from day 1 did it's highway job and kicked it at the exit. Good enough for me! Turn it off and the defroster is warm enough that snowflakes don't have time to accumulate. The world looks a little wet but I'm in my neck of the woods so it's ok.
Ten minutes, a nudged driveway fence and a dislodged neighbor's rock later (backing up well is hard)... I. Am. Home. Hallelujah.
