HRSaR

[McMurphy]

One more of the frog behind the wheel:



Chapter 7: "There's No Place Like Home !!"

Just like the rest of the fellows who showed up, Trish and I had a great time hanging out with Bomp and his wife, and we stayed as late as we could. Our travels for that day were not quite over with, we still had to make it to Eugene/Springfield that night.
The next day was a family reunion with a sister and cousins I had not seen since we were all teenagers, and we had a hotel room awaiting us.

The reunion went well, it was both akward and awesome to reconnect with that branch of the family tree. I only wish Trish and I were settling in closer, but like my best friend said last night "Dude you are only a couple hundred miles away now, not thousands of miles like usual." -- so again I guess it is all about perspective.

Making it to the reunion was the next to last major stop we were supposed to make. We had plans to stop and see another relative of mine, but by the time Monday, 11 August rolled around we had been on the road-traveling for 9 days straight and we were getting a bit weary of it.
Bomp volunteered to take off work early, since we were passing back through his town to get home, and we made plans for dinner that evening. We stayed one more night in Oregon, but it was so hot and stuffy that I doubt anyone got any sleep.
Nonetheless, by 03:00 am Tuesday morning we were up and on the road home.

The sun was coming up as we gassed up in the Dalles, 128 miles from our stating point. We blew thru Portland, past the visitor centers and turn outs for the sights, all with a promise to each other that we would come back and take our time.
Admittedly by that point we only had one thought, and that was to get it all home.
Today if possible.

The weather was hazy which was a relief because we were pretty sun baked by then. Driving up the Columbia River has always been a favorite of mine, and this time did not disappoint either as we spotted all kinds of wildlife from the highway. Trish saw a wild big horn sheep for the first time; just a hundred yards or so from us.
To go from sea level (Seattle-Portland) to Spokane you are going to climp up at least 1,500 to 2,000 feet in elevation. The route we were on was probably the easiest way to do that, which made it a tremendously stress free drive. After the Dalles, one more gas stop in Pasco, WA and our epic journey came to an official close at one of our favorite locations at 11:30 Tuesday, 12 August 2014:


******************************Trip Stats:*******************************

Total miles: 1,531
Total time: 9 days - 19 hours
Total spent on fuel: $835.00 (no other fluids were needed during the trip)
I have the fuel calculations done, but I cannot find them and without the amounts I cannot recreate, sorry. I will however tell you this....it was ugly. Very very ugly.
Parts: 1 fuse, 1 battery, 1 altenator
Total Weight on arrival: 14,900 lbs (remember we unloaded a lot of stuff in SeaTac, enough to fill a 5x5x10 closet)

The stepside aged 10 years on the trip with rock chips and being constantly out in the weather. The tow truck pulled into our place out in Chattaroy as if we had only gone around the block.
We made it home with no accidents or injuries, and as a foot note to all the stress, we made it with no seatbelts!
They were never installed in the Tow Truck.
I told you it was a bare bones model.

The cats were happy to be out of their camper incarceration.
Our male tabby on top of our 77 Cheyenne:

The wee lass female kitty:


It was nice to be home.

[tune_1]

Great that you have made it back to the lower 48 and retirement. Looking forward to what you do with the trucks and your place that you have chosen to settle. Great area.

Dwight

[Low Elco]

Frogs, lol. Keep it up!

[Low Elco]

Yaaaay! Home and dry. Glad you're settling in.

[Modges'66]

Murph,
Many, many thanks for the elaborative details of your journey!
The manner that you described it makes me feel like I was right there in the truck between Trish & yourself!
The details that you recalled make it seem like it happened yesterday...Funny how life changing events and their details stick so very clearly in your mind!
I am so glad that the journey went fairly problem-free on your end.
I can think of a zillion things that could have went wrong, considering the vehicle age & reliability factor....
Cheers to you and your wife, and your new opportunities together!

[Bomp]

I remember you telling us of things that happened on the way to my place but the pictures really fill in the story.
Glad that you made it home all in one piece.
An adventure that will never be forgotten.

[piratexpress1369a]

what a ride home ...

[Grizz1963]

Great story telling Michael.

Thank you for sharing your trip.

The cats seem happy, so that is a perfect ending.

Now you just need more steady internet.....

[Palf70Step]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Frogs, lol. Keep it up!

[Ta2Don]

Finally caught up on the last 2 chapters...
What a long strange trip...

Thanks for sharing, and along with all other accolades, It's good to be Home!

I plan on making Bomp's 2cd Annual in August... Frogs it is!!!!

[clemdaddy]

what a long strange trip it's been.
welcome home brother

[McMurphy]

Thanks for reading, and all the comments guys.

It was a pretty heroic trip in my opinion.
Glad I was able to describe it well enough for you all to get a sense of the tension, and the fun we had on that journey.

Well I am done writing stories here, for now.
I have photos of the truck that cover from the end of the tale, to now.

I will let them do the story telling now.

[Ta2Don]

Looks like one frozen garage to the next...

Spring is just around the corner… at least that's what I keep telling myself as I sit here in Arkansas with the low tonight forecast to be 11 F...

[Ozzy2013]

Sweet set up!

[Jeff La]

Just finished your great read and a truly great adventure. Glad to see you made it safe and sound.

[4shongo]

Awesome truck. Great write-up!!

[piratexpress1369a]

mike did you drive the tempest down also.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Looks like one frozen garage to the next...

Spring is just around the corner… at least that's what I keep telling myself as I sit here in Arkansas with the low tonight forecast to be 11 F...

I have been contemplating keeping the Frozen Garage theme too....

Originally Posted by Ozzy2013

Sweet set up!

Thanks, getting ready to build a house and shop there.

Originally Posted by Jeff La

Just finished your great read and a truly great adventure. Glad to see you made it safe and sound.

Thanks Jeff !!

Originally Posted by 4shongo

Awesome truck. Great write-up!!

Thanks for reading.

Originally Posted by piratexpress1369a

mike did you drive the tempest down also.

The Tempest and the LeMans are in storage there in Spokane, all safe and sound indoors !! I still only have about 200 miles on the rebuilt engine in it. Just never been home long enough to drive it much.

[McMurphy]

It sucks to have to show you guys this, but ....
It is what it is.

I found this mess on the 25th of November, two days before Thanksgiving.










At first when I got up to where it had been parked at the red and yellow sheds, and saw that it was missing, I assumed someone had stolen it.

[McMurphy]

[McMurphy]

[McMurphy]

I think my best friends son coined it well when he replaced his daddy's "Damnit" with DAMAGE !!

[Grizz1963]

WTF....???

Not good buddy.

I am really sorry to see the damage.

I guess there is more to tell.

[Ta2Don]

Man… Sorry to see the end result, but at least it isn't MIA...

[Palf70Step]

Sorry to see/hear about the tow truck. Is the frame OK?