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I finally got the go ahead to pickup my first Deuce at the Smyrna, TN GL site so I planned everything for Friday 5/2/08. I had offered the co-pilot's seat to my Wife, then a friend and finally my Brother.
Fortunately for me my Brother said yes to the trip which he promptly labeled "Pee Wee's Big Adventure".
I read the sticky list for what to do and take and read the manuals so I had a good idea what to expect, almost.
We got to the 321 Weakley Lane gate address at 9:30 (per Jason at GL). That's good but I'm on EDT Smyrna is on Central. So we start looking at the manuals for the hour wait when a NG member walks up to the gate and asks us what it says on the sign hanging there. He tells us to go down the street and go through the guarded gate. Okay we say and off we go to the other gate. The guard had no idea what we were talking about and bingo, next thing you know we are driving around all the vehicles on a live NG base with no escorts or papers, just our grins from ear to ear. We end up driving in between rows and rows of trucks looking for my "new" Deuce. No luck finding it but a lot of looks from the NG members wondering what we were doing.
I call Jason and tell him where we are and he said wait there and he would come and get us when he got to Smyrna.
At this point I would like to say that Jay and Jason are pretty good guys to work with. They offer assistance and are understanding if you have a problem there because it is an unmanned site and they will work with you.
Jason shows up and takes us to the compound where the trucks are located. We go in and start looking for mine. We find it and I do a quick walk-around to make sure it the correct truck and I walk over to process the paperwork signed off on and I hear a truck start and look back and my Brother already has mine running. I knew I brought him for a reason.
She has like new batteries, rebuilt radiator and lots of new parts on it and except for the 4-year old child paint by numbers paint job on it I think she is a good truck.
We got her ready to go and I headed towards the gate and to the Shell station out by I-24. I noticed a little clutch slippage in 4th and 5th but I dealt with it. We fuel her up and as soon as we are ready to roll we get hit with the storms that dropped tornadoes on Arkansas.
I headed north in a driving storm with lightning hitting both sides of the road and didn't stop for 220 miles.
The first 100 I was petrified since I only had about 5 miles in a Deuce prior to this and that to the fact that they are not built for anyone of my size and stature. The size worked to my benefit since I incorporated Fat Dampening Steering onto the Deuce that helped reduce arm fatigue during the trip.
We hit Nashville during Friday lunch rush hour, Louisville at Friday rush hour (the day before The Derby) and Cincinnati at the tail end of Friday rush hour.
It took about 7:45 and we made about 55mph all the way and the one little stretch (5 miles of it) where it was dry I opened her up and she was still wanting to run faster at 60 and I pulled her back due to luck stretching.
I had a smile when I left Smyrna and hitting Dayton 350 miles later it only got bigger when my Wife said she heard me coming about a mile a way.
Priceless
steve
Thanks to Blood of Tyrants for the offer of assistance which I am happy we did not need and a special thanks to my Brother to whom I could not have done it without (and I have another Brother that's like that as well).
Fortunately for me my Brother said yes to the trip which he promptly labeled "Pee Wee's Big Adventure".
I read the sticky list for what to do and take and read the manuals so I had a good idea what to expect, almost.
We got to the 321 Weakley Lane gate address at 9:30 (per Jason at GL). That's good but I'm on EDT Smyrna is on Central. So we start looking at the manuals for the hour wait when a NG member walks up to the gate and asks us what it says on the sign hanging there. He tells us to go down the street and go through the guarded gate. Okay we say and off we go to the other gate. The guard had no idea what we were talking about and bingo, next thing you know we are driving around all the vehicles on a live NG base with no escorts or papers, just our grins from ear to ear. We end up driving in between rows and rows of trucks looking for my "new" Deuce. No luck finding it but a lot of looks from the NG members wondering what we were doing.
I call Jason and tell him where we are and he said wait there and he would come and get us when he got to Smyrna.
At this point I would like to say that Jay and Jason are pretty good guys to work with. They offer assistance and are understanding if you have a problem there because it is an unmanned site and they will work with you.
Jason shows up and takes us to the compound where the trucks are located. We go in and start looking for mine. We find it and I do a quick walk-around to make sure it the correct truck and I walk over to process the paperwork signed off on and I hear a truck start and look back and my Brother already has mine running. I knew I brought him for a reason.
She has like new batteries, rebuilt radiator and lots of new parts on it and except for the 4-year old child paint by numbers paint job on it I think she is a good truck.
We got her ready to go and I headed towards the gate and to the Shell station out by I-24. I noticed a little clutch slippage in 4th and 5th but I dealt with it. We fuel her up and as soon as we are ready to roll we get hit with the storms that dropped tornadoes on Arkansas.
I headed north in a driving storm with lightning hitting both sides of the road and didn't stop for 220 miles.
The first 100 I was petrified since I only had about 5 miles in a Deuce prior to this and that to the fact that they are not built for anyone of my size and stature. The size worked to my benefit since I incorporated Fat Dampening Steering onto the Deuce that helped reduce arm fatigue during the trip.
We hit Nashville during Friday lunch rush hour, Louisville at Friday rush hour (the day before The Derby) and Cincinnati at the tail end of Friday rush hour.
It took about 7:45 and we made about 55mph all the way and the one little stretch (5 miles of it) where it was dry I opened her up and she was still wanting to run faster at 60 and I pulled her back due to luck stretching.
I had a smile when I left Smyrna and hitting Dayton 350 miles later it only got bigger when my Wife said she heard me coming about a mile a way.
Priceless
steve
Thanks to Blood of Tyrants for the offer of assistance which I am happy we did not need and a special thanks to my Brother to whom I could not have done it without (and I have another Brother that's like that as well).
