Trip to West Springfield,MA

[Superdog]

Ain't nothing I ever do or plan that goes simply.Quite awhile back I find out Jim Fox AKA Twostickmutt,wanted to sell his G-73.Even though I had drooled over it since I first saw pics of it even before Jim bought it,I pretty much dismissed the thought of even thinking of buying the G because of the distance.The ATHS convention was coming up,and at one of our chapter meetings I find out there's going to be 3 guys going out loaded,but with no return loads for certain.So Jim and I start dealing,and I decide I can take a couple days off to go out to the show and look the truck over.So I call a buddy of mine to see if he wants to tag along,sure enough,he said he'd go,so I make reservations to fly out.Now here's where things get expensive.We're supposed to fly out Thurs.AM,5-30.Call my buddy Mon. nite,and he backs out.Airline won't cancel tickets,so my son says he'll go if we can find somebody to cover his loads for the rest of the week.Not much problem there,only now I got 2 trucks sitting instead of one,and it ends up costing a bunch more in"penalties and service charges" to transfer the tickets into my son's name.So we fly out Thurs. AM,things go pretty well considering the cram us in a little dinky ass plane for both flights.We get into Hartford,CT that afternoon,get our rental vehicle,go check in the motel in W.Springfield,then head to Hinsdale to check the G-73 out.I'm driving and Mikey's navigating,after Jim's directions had us tied up in road constuction getting out of town,the kid decides to consult his GPS on his phone.We end up getting a really scenic tour of rural MA,but we do get to Jim's house,so I guess that's all that matters.I'd already pretty much decided I was going to take the G home,so after a quick check over,we started back to W.Springfield to enter it in the show.Jim left us directions to the only place in town to buy fuel,cause it was really low,Mikey pulls up to the pump,$4.399/gal.,ouch!!.Didn't matter,we needed fuel,only problem was we had more fuel in the G than they had in there barrel,we dinked around 10 minutes and got a dollars worth.the kid at the station thought there was fuel in the next town north,only 3 miles he said,yeah,right.Stopped at 4 stations,no diesel,go to the next town north,only 3 or 4 miles,heard that before,besides,we are supposed to be going back south.After 2 dozen stoplights and trying 4 more stations,finally found diesel,and only $3.859.By now we were both fed up with the backroads of MA,so I ask what's the quickest way to the MA turnpike,he points us in the right direction,2 dozen more lights and wind thru another town or 2 and we're on the big road headed south.Time we got back to town,it was too late to get into the showgrounds,so we parked it at the motel.Bob and Cheryl Daumer saw us pull in and came over to check out the G.We had a good visit and then went out to eat supper with them and visit some more.They had brought the Mack Museum truck and there C model to the show.Rest of the trip went pretty smooth,though.Got checked in at the show Fri.AM.Had a great time visiting with old and new friends,saw a ton of trucks,ate some great homemade Cajun food with David McNeill and Sherry,even had alligator,got a little soaked Sat.,rode around in the rain with Joe D. on his cart,then about time we decided to get loaded for the trip home,the sun came out.We got the trucks loaded,I got some more pics,drank a couple beers with Doug F.and then called it a day.Had to fly out of Hartford at 6 am Sun.so it was a pretty short night.Got the full pat down treatment at the airport cause my bib overalls set off the metal detector,didn't have any trouble when I went thru at Moline,IL going out.Finally got home Sun. afternoon,definately a trip to remember.Thanks again ,Jim for selling me the G.

[hatcity]

Nice , long story.

Them folk in New England usually don't know much about the town next to them

[b61mack]

Nice looking truck Mike, there is not many G models around anymore is there. hope to see it at Walcott truck show. my brother and i are leaving wed. morning for Macungie hope the weather is nice. Ron

[twostickmutt]

just think mike while you were having all this fun in a strange town i was tossing and turning in the sleeper out in western pa. hoping everything was going smooth for you but in the end everything turned out fine. still would have liked to seen that ol' G barreling down the mass. pike. the truck couldn't have found a better "new home".

[Brocky]

Mike

That is a great buy. Glad you coculd get it.

It was great to meet you briefly. Hope to be able to meet up again and have the time to BS futher.

Brocky

[Joe Ditchkus]

Mike good buy on the G-Model. I enjoyed the tour with you and Mikey. It would have been nice to bring the G to Macungie. There are quite a few shows in the Northeast that have a good turnout.Nice timing on getting truck back in short order.Joe D.

[Doug Maney]

I am glad you ended up with his G. it would have been neat to have several G's at Macungie this year, I guess we will have to arrange that another time. Doug

[umodelnut]

I like that G Mike.

[vanscottbuilders]

Mike,

I watched you check in with the G model. Wish I knew it was you - I would have said hello.

Paul Van Scott

[umodelnut]

I gotta get up and see Mr. Fetterly. Maybe in a few weeks.

[msm618]

Mike, whatta catch!

BTW, anyone know what happened to Dick Kemp's G?

Offered it to me, as a runner, for $1500.00 about 5 years ago. (Insert head beating against wall sound here)

Sure hope it went to a good home. I've only seen 3 G's in my 45 years in the hobby.

[Olivetroad]

Offered it to me, as a runner, for $1500.00 about 5 years ago. (Insert head beating against wall sound here)

Ouch! I heard that head beat sound clear over here in Missouri! I think we all have woulda-shoulda-coulda deals like that!

[41chevy]

I don't recall seeing a G at the auction. Might have been sold before the auction. Paul

[Green Dash]

That's a very nice G model. Good to see it passed along from one caring owner to another.

[mowerman]

glad it all turned out,,,thought you were were going to end story with ,,,,it was all a wild goose chase lol.bob

[Freightrain]

Yup, Mike, I had those pics from Dennis saved on my favorites and looked it over many a time. Glad you got it, as I don't have the room here(just ask the township).

Fly'n is ALWAYS an adventure. The "tools of my trade" are packaged in gun cases. You wanna have fun, come walking in an airport with a rifle and pistol case!!!! Well, it used to be fun(lots of courtesy and door opening for me) now I just UPS them beforehand and eliminate the hassles.

The seats in coach aren't built for much more then an anorexic midget. Best I do is sleep to make the time go by quicker.

[mowerman]

Yup, Mike, I had those pics from Dennis saved on my favorites and looked it over many a time. Glad you got it, as I don't have the room here(just ask the township).

Fly'n is ALWAYS an adventure. The "tools of my trade" are packaged in gun cases. You wanna have fun, come walking in an airport with a rifle and pistol case!!!! Well, it used to be fun(lots of courtesy and door opening for me) now I just UPS them beforehand and eliminate the hassles.

The seats in coach aren't built for much more then an anorexic midget. Best I do is sleep to make the time go by quicker.

im only 5,7..and im squeezed in them,,,and most of them,are always crying poormouth,,,i wouldnt ever fly again,,,if i didnt have to...they have taken all the fun out of it..bob

[Freightrain]

I'm not much taller, but long legs are a killer!!! I went to the left coast in '96. Four hours cramped up with people trying to knock you out as they made their way to the bathroom every few minutes(aarrgh). Knees into the seat in front of me, only a hard plastic sidewall to lean on(ugh). I do fly for work occasionally, if driving is out of the question.

I have a friend(my size) that does business in China/malaysia, etc, and travels there in coach a few times a year. Good gawd that must be horrible. 747 or not, you are still packed in like sardines.