After a great Thanksgiving diner with my Mom and Sister Pat that included ALL the fixin’s, Rita, Hunter & I set out from New Kensington at 9 am Friday morning.  Sky’s were bright and sunny although it was a tad cool.  By the time we got into Pittsburgh, got lost by taking a Wrong Turn, got found and then it started SNOWING !  Well, that crap lasted until Wheeling, WV when it cleared up, thank God !  So we wound our way to a Flying J near Louisville, KY for the the night, got our Flying J Internet account set up and snoozed away.  In the morning we found it COLD, -10 something or other, just plain COLD, frost was certainly on our pumpkin.  The Propex was just barely able to keep the van warm.  Got ourselves together with warm coffee and off toward Nashville and Memphis.  Uneventful trip, getting into Memphis around 4 pm.  Stopped to gas up and called Jonathan who was supposed to be in the area.  He was in Tupelo, MS visiting his sister and will be up here today sometime.  So, after I hang up we start the van and hear this “BAD” exhaust noise.  Quick check reveals a crack at the header flange on the rear header at the right hand side.  OH Shit !  Our first “Real” problem.  So what to do ?  It’s gotta come off and get welded that’s for sure.  So, first thing, call to Ottawa and arrange for Paul & Linda to bring a new rear header pipe with them just in case the welding of this one goes bad.  OK, that’s seems to have worked.  Call back Jonathan and see if he knows someplace in Memphis where we can have the pipe welded.  He says he will be in Memphis today sometime at his mom’s so we can use her place to remove the header pipe and he’ll drive us around Monday to get it welded.  So, not too stuck !  It’s now 8am Sunday morning and I’m in the Flying J truckers lounge getting my morning coffee & Internet fix !  AND, it’s raining, been so all night.  At least it’s not snow !  So looks like we won’t make it Graceland, Elvis will have to wait !

Adios
Frank, Rita & Hunter

Posted on November 25th, 2007 by FrankandRita
Filed under: Rita and Frank Condelli