From: Ronzo (rojoha@attbi.com)
Date: Sun Oct 13 2002 - 14:16:29 PDT
WARNING>>>>> WHINER SHIELDS UP TO MAXIMUM>>>>>>>HELM>>>>PREPARE FOR
EMERGENCY MANEUVERING TO AVOID TEARS>>>>>>
Geeze....I ignored the Military only zones and the Death to reenactors
threads like a good little MV'er should and then WHAM!!! Like the Arab
Proverb says, 'Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer' maybe the
MV'er Proverb should be 'Keep your "friends" in a truck in a different
state'.
I swear I feel like I live in the basement of a two holer. Everybody
tells me what a putz I am, but I keep coming back for more.
In reply to Hankies ravings:
> " Hauling a MKT with a M109 already loaded with tons of crap up the
long steep
hills of northern Vt is a challenge (Mostly on the horns of the cars stuck
behind us.)"<
While going from RAMs ranch back to the interstate we descended some
really STEEP hills. After the first couple of decents, Hankie asked 'You
smell something burning?' To which I replied to 'if we're stopped, there
must be time to spray paint the rims and drums Fackovec', 'yep, that be
paint burning off your drums and hubs'.
At a stop to check the trailer wheels and hubs, Hankie said that the
trailer was pushing the 109 all over the place. As was pointed out, the
brake hose works best when hooked up to the 'SERVICE' glad hand, not
'EMERGENCY' and then you OPEN the valve.
>"It was truly 5 quality hours with Ron driving back in a turbo deuce where
I could not hear him."<
OR the rapping of the overloaded rods and mains.
He does not mention that we returned via I-93 south which, while miles
shorter than our route to VT (I-89 to I-91), is mostly all UPHILL from St.
Johnsbury until you get past the White Mountains National Forest. Then add
in that it is a divided one lane wide road for 10 miles or so, and it was
'Leaf Peepers' time in the 'North Country' and add in a M109 dragging an MKT
driven by 'Pedal to the Metal ' Hankie and you know it ain't going to be
pretty. Lots of 'peepers' indicated we were number 1 as they finally got
around us.
Hankie could not hear me for 5 hours because he wears walkman headphones
listening to God knows what. He did respond to frantic hand waving after a
fashion. Hankie appears unfamiliar with the two 'clocks' in the dash. Hence,
with the walkman masking both my screams of "SHIFT DOWN FOR CRISE
SAKES!!!!!" and the truck being almost silent since we are in 5th on a 48%
grade with one 'clock' showing 10 mph and the other showing 900 rpm, well
going down to 4th, then 3rd, then 2nd and stopping and starting and staying
in 1st, made for a LONG, SLOW ride.
It had its plusses though. It did allow me to get out, run over to a
rest area, use the mens room, talk to the ranger, get a sample glass of
cider, read the plaques describing the Mountains visible from the overlook,
walk back to the truck, chat with the bus load of Japaneses tourists as they
walked uphill along side their tour bus picking up leaves and pinecones for
souveniors or ran ahead to video tape Hankie's 109 and their bus and 139
cars and tour busses c r a w l i n g up the hill while trapped behind 'TASK
FORCE FACKOVEC', check the lashings on the MKT cover and climb back into the
M109 as it 'chugged' up the hill past the rest area. Oh yeah, then listen to
Hankie bitch about the Japs who keep climbing up on the front of the truck
to have their pictures taken.
I think Hankie equates 5th with 'drive' in a current type vehicle. I
tried to explain using both the transfer case and transmission in concert
when starting out with a loaded vehicle as was shown to me this summer by
CWO (ret) Don Richards, Deuce Guru extrodinaire. But Hankie is a radio type
and a crackerjack mechanic whose favorite tool is 'Mr. Smoke Wrench' (it's a
Bronx thing). And I seem to be a lousy teacher and don't know enough
American sign language to make myself understood to him. Maybe one of you
folks could explain 'Torque vs. Power' curves in one syllabel words for some
of us.
>"Forgot the most important moment of the day: RONZO "I can drive
anything
with wheels or tracks" while moving the M109 with the MKT backed into Ram's
new pole barn and destroyed it."<
Hmmmm....the question begs to be asked by you all "Why was putzo backing
up the truck/trailer consist and if he is so bad a driver, who put him in
the cab?"
Because the 109 and MKT had to be turned 180 degrees and had to be 3
point turned in an area about 40 feet wide and the trailer had to be
inserted around a corner of the barn and along side it to accomplish it. In
front of the M109 was a 20 foot vertical drop. While backing up the trailer,
it had to be sent into a right turn around the corner with 20 foot pull ups
to 'straighten' out. So in the right mirror I am looking out at the right
side of the MKT and the front of the barn, in the left mirror I see no
trailer (cause it is turned) and I should see a 'ground guide'. Ground
guides are SUPPOSED to know if they can't see the driver in the mirror, he
can't see them. And I as a driver KNOW if I can't see the guide, I should
STOP immediately. When I pulled forward for the third time to starighten
out, my 'guide' came forward to tell me I hit the garage two times ago. When
I asked why they didn't signal me to stop, he said 'We were YELLING stop
from behind the trailer'. Which was around the corner and not visible. And
it was MY fault I had on hearing protection.
>"Ronzo ("11 vehicles, and not one of them run Ron") made a deal to buy a
running vehicle. ( When he gets it back to his house, the other rusty hulks
will probably gang up on it and rip its injection pump out.)" <
It has been said that as a mechanic, I'd make a great tailor. I have 4
M38A1s, an M715, a bunch of 5 KW gen sets and trailers, 3 H-1 diesel powered
aircraft heaters and some other odds and ends that don't run. I was told by
Charlie 3 weeks ago, that since rideing down and back with me to Gilbert.
PA., he no longer has any energy and fails to complete projects he starts.
He said he would not sell me an M1010 carcus to rebuild since it would never
get beyond the pile of parts stage and the parts are too rare to just throw
away. The club members say that the surest way to buy a vehicle that has
been untouched for restoration is to buy some thing I have owned for 15
years.
So I follow everyones advice and when I come across a nice vehicle that
is completely restored at an attractive price, I did what every red blooded,
he-man MV'er does. I asked my wife if I could buy it. She said yes if I
would stop pestering her with non-sense about conjugal duties. WIN-WIN
situation!!!! So I got a reaally pristine M1010 headed this way as a daily
driver, which will double as temporary living quarters for Barney and me
when we get kicked out.
I'll post some photos of the M1010 and maybe some of RAMs driveway in my
defense, for those interested. Try here for a start:
http://community.webshots.com/album/52007538UscXpJ .
Until then, could someone drop down an UNUSED roll of toilet paper so
I can wipe off my glasses. And Hankie, you should try chewing your food
better and SHELL the pistacios before you eat them or you could get colitis
....
Ronzo .....The beatings will continue until morale improves!
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