How could a trip to our fine state turn out to not be enjoyable?
Try our Georgia beaches next time or Hilton Head island.
I'm a long time member of National Corvette Restorers Society. The NCRS annual National Convention is always in July, at various locations around the country. I've attended 10 of the past 13 Nationals. I usually incorporate other activities or things into my annual Nats attendance trip. I call it my Corvette Summer.
This year the Nats were in Greenville, NC. 5 days of judging and activities, then I went to Hilton Head SC to a fellow NCRS member's house there to pick up a car I agreed to purchase from him earlier this year. I took the truck and trailer to pick up the car. I left the following morning and went to another Corvette friends house in Tucson. I got the car out of the trailer, drove it for emissions testing and got it registered in AZ.
Trip was 12 days and 5,400 miles, with 9 days in the seat driving. Most of the driving days were right at 1,000 miles in 16 hours in the seat. Had some weather, lots of lane closures, and oh my gosh, the TRUCKS! Trucks, trucks, and MORE trucks. For the most part, the drivers are courteous and safe, but they clump up, follow too close, pass each other on upgrades which takes them forever to clear the lane, and make driving arduous.
I also had an incident on the Eastbound leg as I entered Arkansas. A State Patrol right on the state line pulled out and followed me into the rest area 2 miles into AR. I obviously flunked his profile. He must have asked me at least a half dozen times "sure you don't have a little recreational cocaine or pot in the truck?" He wanted to seize my **** under Civil Asset Forfeiture. I also had a significant amount of cash with me for the car I was buying and I pay cash for fuel. To bankers "A low-four" amount. Long story short, they ran the dog around the rig, claimed they got "indications" (bull. the dog was playing. It didn't smell ****) so put me in handcuffs and tossed the truck and all my ****. 2-1/2 hours later they hadn't found anything except my unloaded .45 behind the rear seat, which turns out is not a problem in Arkansas. They refused to tell me what "profile" I failed as I entered the state. I was on my way, but the experience wrecked the remainder of the trip. And I'll never set foot in Arkansas again.
200 miles each way to Kings River doesn't present much risk of exposure to LEO or very many trucks. I can drive it towing the boat in less than 5 hours. I'm looking forward to just sitting on the shore, my toes in the sand, and a drink in my hand. And playing with my 50 year old jet boat I've owned for 43 years.
Today I took the rotors in for machining. (Got to keep the thread on-topic).