PanelDeland
07-15-2008, 08:17 PM
So I go to "The Big Meet" AKA the 67-72 National Board Meet '08.It was the best gathering I've ever been to.I see cool trucks meet folks I've known forever,eat great food and just in general have a fantastic time.The weather was hot or stormy or hot and stormy.The people were so friendly, the event was held at a wonderful small farm/acerage in the country.The hosts were outstanding and the atmosphere was extremely entertaining.There were so many cool trucks that I doubt I saw them all.Some were complete but others were drivers and some were jewels in the rough.There were even a few that were donating organs so that others might drive.I won a sweeeeet mug with the BB logo and was given a dash plaque with same.I met some really nice folks from all over and got to know them better.
There is a down side to this story.You see when I left Ron's to head home to NC the weather was a bit warm but great driving weather with AC.I start the drive with a full tank and everything is sweet,I may even be home in time to see the QOV before bed.The road is smooth and traffic is flowing well.I had heard there was a detour of a few miles ahead but no big deal.Then at Cookevill Tn suddenly traffic stopped.It was inch along inch along inch along for miles.Finally I get to the exit to take the detour I had heard about earlier,the one that was supposed to be cleared up and open by the time I got there.No big deal it'll be a little later when I get home.I follow the detour as stated by the Tn DOT radio and as I come up to the exit Hiway 70 I find that the good citizens of Sparta have determined that they do not want all that nasty smelly noisy traffic going thru their city.So they have blocked the exit with police cars and rescue units and have police officer men there to tell peoples that they must go to Chattanoga Tn and then they can turn north on I-75 to get back to I-40.As I start on my way to Chattanoge I realize that Josh and Liz are coming the same way and will be stuck in traffic with 3 kids for hours and they are hauling a travel trailer also.I start thumbing thru my phone looking for Robb(Tn BalzerK5) phone # since i know he is riding with them.I come across Liz's # first and realize that she put it in my phone at Maggie Valley so I could get in touch while there.So I call Liz and let them know that they do not want to go that way since it is a real bummmer.(This was the one aspect of the trip I did not deem it proper to share)
I drive on into Chattanoga in the rain since it decided that nice weather would make a detour too easy.I finally get turned north on I-75 and start on home.I get back to I -40 and go east.The sky has lightened and the rain stopped by now.At least I will be home in time to sleep in my own bed.As I start thru the twisty winding area that seperates Tn and Nc the clouds obscure the sun and about the second curve it comes a deluge.I had "Rain-Xed" my windows and had replaced the wiper blades a couple of weeks ago just in case so I would be prepared for rain on this trip.It's a BB meet right, it's gonna rain.(Note to self,I need to replace wiper blades again and "Rain-X" the windows again).
Afetr an eternity of twisty curve and floodwater in the air I see the end of the sporty car lovers road.I am again on open road and the rain has started letting up.Great,I may get home anyway.Then at Waynesville(You know Waynesville,it's the home of the infamous "Fat Buddy's" Bar-B-Q)near Maggie Valley(another spot famous for rain)it starts raining again only this time it's a gentler kinder rain(that doesn't mean much after the deluge in the twisty's).I am tooling along just making a few miles when suddenly traffic just stops.OOOhhhh boy what can it be this time?Why it's road construction(I am used to this I'm from Tx and they only have 3 kinds of roads there,dirt,closed and under construction).I did not know that in NC when you have road construction it is also mandatory that you have some idiot who has to almost sucessfully merge with the traffic causing the few minutes of delay to turn into over an hour of waiting for a State Trooper and a wrecker.This delay allowed the construction crew who had finished that section time to gather up their stuff and move down the road a few more miles and set up to do another road repair closing down one lane of traffic and causing another slowdown.Luckily I got thru this one before the almost sucessfully merging idiot showed up(I think he was late because he needed another car after the last incident).By this time it is approaching midnight and it's starting to rain really hard again so I gave up any ideas of sleeping where I belong(actually in bed with my wife instead of the usual doghouse{mostly because she misses harassing me when I'm gone and wants me there in case she wakes up with something to complain about).
So after I stop at three motels I finally find a room and get to bed.This is about 14 hours after I started the 10 hour drive home.Well Monday morning dawns bright and clear the road is calling(luckily this time it's not calling me a foolish idiot for thinking I might get home) and 3 1/2 hours later I am finally HOME!!!
Thank you for perusing my rant and be aware if I ever meet anyone from Sparta Tn I have a very large piece of my mind to give them.
BTW I can hardly wait for the next meet!!!
There is a down side to this story.You see when I left Ron's to head home to NC the weather was a bit warm but great driving weather with AC.I start the drive with a full tank and everything is sweet,I may even be home in time to see the QOV before bed.The road is smooth and traffic is flowing well.I had heard there was a detour of a few miles ahead but no big deal.Then at Cookevill Tn suddenly traffic stopped.It was inch along inch along inch along for miles.Finally I get to the exit to take the detour I had heard about earlier,the one that was supposed to be cleared up and open by the time I got there.No big deal it'll be a little later when I get home.I follow the detour as stated by the Tn DOT radio and as I come up to the exit Hiway 70 I find that the good citizens of Sparta have determined that they do not want all that nasty smelly noisy traffic going thru their city.So they have blocked the exit with police cars and rescue units and have police officer men there to tell peoples that they must go to Chattanoga Tn and then they can turn north on I-75 to get back to I-40.As I start on my way to Chattanoge I realize that Josh and Liz are coming the same way and will be stuck in traffic with 3 kids for hours and they are hauling a travel trailer also.I start thumbing thru my phone looking for Robb(Tn BalzerK5) phone # since i know he is riding with them.I come across Liz's # first and realize that she put it in my phone at Maggie Valley so I could get in touch while there.So I call Liz and let them know that they do not want to go that way since it is a real bummmer.(This was the one aspect of the trip I did not deem it proper to share)
I drive on into Chattanoga in the rain since it decided that nice weather would make a detour too easy.I finally get turned north on I-75 and start on home.I get back to I -40 and go east.The sky has lightened and the rain stopped by now.At least I will be home in time to sleep in my own bed.As I start thru the twisty winding area that seperates Tn and Nc the clouds obscure the sun and about the second curve it comes a deluge.I had "Rain-Xed" my windows and had replaced the wiper blades a couple of weeks ago just in case so I would be prepared for rain on this trip.It's a BB meet right, it's gonna rain.(Note to self,I need to replace wiper blades again and "Rain-X" the windows again).
Afetr an eternity of twisty curve and floodwater in the air I see the end of the sporty car lovers road.I am again on open road and the rain has started letting up.Great,I may get home anyway.Then at Waynesville(You know Waynesville,it's the home of the infamous "Fat Buddy's" Bar-B-Q)near Maggie Valley(another spot famous for rain)it starts raining again only this time it's a gentler kinder rain(that doesn't mean much after the deluge in the twisty's).I am tooling along just making a few miles when suddenly traffic just stops.OOOhhhh boy what can it be this time?Why it's road construction(I am used to this I'm from Tx and they only have 3 kinds of roads there,dirt,closed and under construction).I did not know that in NC when you have road construction it is also mandatory that you have some idiot who has to almost sucessfully merge with the traffic causing the few minutes of delay to turn into over an hour of waiting for a State Trooper and a wrecker.This delay allowed the construction crew who had finished that section time to gather up their stuff and move down the road a few more miles and set up to do another road repair closing down one lane of traffic and causing another slowdown.Luckily I got thru this one before the almost sucessfully merging idiot showed up(I think he was late because he needed another car after the last incident).By this time it is approaching midnight and it's starting to rain really hard again so I gave up any ideas of sleeping where I belong(actually in bed with my wife instead of the usual doghouse{mostly because she misses harassing me when I'm gone and wants me there in case she wakes up with something to complain about).
So after I stop at three motels I finally find a room and get to bed.This is about 14 hours after I started the 10 hour drive home.Well Monday morning dawns bright and clear the road is calling(luckily this time it's not calling me a foolish idiot for thinking I might get home) and 3 1/2 hours later I am finally HOME!!!
Thank you for perusing my rant and be aware if I ever meet anyone from Sparta Tn I have a very large piece of my mind to give them.
BTW I can hardly wait for the next meet!!!