Just like old times driving off the ferries in Europe, and I had pole position so was able to blast off straight away.
Thursday morning I drove down to Sumas, Washington and crossed over. I chose to use the littler roads for a while instead of cutting across to the interstate. Seemed a plan to me.
Sumas seems quite a small border crossing, but it is much quicker and easier than trying to cross at Blaine.. Anyone who has read the Dark Tower books will know the phrase "Blaine is a pain" and it is, believe me.
Eventually, I found myself on the I5 heading to Seattle, then I picked up the I90 heading east. That is an amazing road to travel. At this time of year the scenery is spectacular with the leaves changing. But it is a hard road with the mountains. I started to hear a slight bark from the motor. I guessed it to be an exhaust manifold leak. I stopped and investigated but couldn't find it. Parked for the night in a rest area in the mountains.. I carried on on Friday morning but kept listening, and went on out past the Little Bighorn Battlefield onto the 212 through Montana. That is awesome out through there. It is the heart of the Badlands really, and you half expect mad indians to come charging after you..
I stopped for the night right beside the state line between Montana and Wyoming. The 212 cuts the north eastern corner of Wyoming and takes you into South Dakota. There is a tiny pull in right by the line and I often stop there as you get left alone..
Into Rapid City (close to Mount Rushmore) where I decided I should investigate the bark properly. It wasn't a manifold leak as such.. The manifold was cracked on no.3 cylinder, which is directly next to the turbo. That was that. Game over till Monday. I would have carried on if it had been anywhere else on the manifold, but that takes the entire weight of the turbo and it just wasn't worth the risk.
Into Butler CAT bright and early on Monday, and out again, new manifold section fitted under warranty, before noon. Now I had to punch on. Wichita was about 1200 kms ahead and I was intending to get empty first thing Tuesday. Stopped in Salina, KS, because you can usually get a spot there, and got into Wichita for 8am.
My reload was from Blue Rapids, KS. Ideal, I was there by noon and out again, still empty, within the hour. The load was 4000 lbs heavier than posted and I couldn't carry it. Plan B time then.
You have to hand it to our dispatchers. In short order I had another reload through, loading that night, from Norfolk, NE... None of this crap about not being able to find anything with this firm. I got loaded late, so I went to bed. Next day, Weds, I cracked on north. I was an hour out of Watertown when my friend called me. My shotgun was with the police in St Pierre (long story not worth going in to) but there was a problem.
It turns out that this gun had been reported stolen in 1970 from Detroit, MI. It didn't show on the registry of long guns in Canada. After some calls, the officer finally found that, although it wasn't on the long gun registry, it is, in fact, registered to me. Weird, huh?
So they gave it back to me on Thursday morning. Even though it has questionable provenance, they gave it back to me.........
Thursday evening I set out again for Saskatoon. I called the receiver at about 9am to ask for directions, only to be told that the earliest they could take it was Tuesday!!! Not good, Selwyn, not good at all!
Anyway, I spoke to them really, really nicely, and explained that I live in Winnipeg and could hardly take it back there and they very nicely took it off.
So now I am home again. I have another load on board for Springfield, Illynoy, for monday morning, and the reload is already on the system for loading Monday lunchtime. That is to go to Calgary for, I think, Friday of next week. Since I have to take Puff to the hospital on weds, and her friend arrives on weds evening, I think it should work out just perfect.
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