Exhausted + Constipated = So tired you just don't give a shit.
I was up at 6:00 this morning so I could be over at my buddie's (The Other Al) to borrow his truck to tow the car dolly around today, then back home to load up the truck, then down to U-haul to get the dolly. Back up to home to pick up my Navigator and Cheer Leader, the lovely Mrs A.
U-haul has a scam going. Almost all manufacturers of towing equipment use the same plug. Whenever you are plugging the towed equipment, the plug in the back of the vehicle has a round plug. But the U-haul equipment has a flat connector. Of course you have to have a special adaptor, and of course they just happen to have them in stock. What a coincidence! And of course the adaptor is $15.00. And worth at least six bucks. Capitalism at its finest. Oh well, it won't break the bank at Che' Warren.
Both of the Jensen Healeys are home now. When picking up the first one, it rained hard and steady. By the time I got it home and unloaded, I was soaked. Had to change clothes to go get the second.
Everything went pretty smoothly, except for the fact that I CANNOT back up anything being towed. I have never had any reason to acquire this skill, and when I attempt it, I can't get it even close to right. It makes my head hurt.
I think there must be some driving in reverse while towing something gene that I just don't have. My Macho male ego was severely bruised by having to have someone else back up the truck and dolly. But I survived.
The second car did not have the keys, so the steering is locked, and you can't turn the wheel. I was determined I was going to back it up so we could unload the car underneath the deck, but when I went to back up, the car on the dolly wouldn't back up. I thought I was doing something wrong, but it turns out part of the exhaust system had dropped down, and when I tried to back up, it jammed into the pavement and the car wouldn't move.
Tomorrow I will have to take the steering column apart and drill out the switch so that the locking mechanism doesn't work. A realtively minor pain in the ass.
At least both of the cars, and the spare parts are home now, and I don't HAVE to work on them any time soon, although the second car is blocking two parking spots. I now have enough projects lined up that I feel comfortable. The idea of not having a couple of projects lined up bothers me. I can't just sit around and do nothing.
My back is beginning to stiffen up. I am going to apply an inner anesthetic and muscle relaxer (Plymouth Gin) for medicinal purposes only of course.
3 comments:
The trick I've always used to backup a trailer (I forget where I first learned this) is to put one hand on the steering wheel at the bottom center, then just move that hand in the direction you want the trailer to go while backing it up.
It works!
Damn, you shoulda called me. I can back anything up! It's freaky, really. My dad used to get me outta bed on the farm, just to back something up that he couldn't do. He used to say I drove better backwards than forward. He's probably right. Still.
Michael: That's what they told me, but when I tried it, it was when the part fell down and jammed against the pavement.
Rick: You must have the "Backing-up-when-Towing Gene". I will remember this for future reference.
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