Folks Of Interest 50 years of "Playing ON the Freeway"

never fails to AMAZE me -- AND SCARE THE SHIT OUTTA ME!! How some drivers can be so TOTALLY IGNORANT and SELF ABSORBED that they ignore a "situation" happenin right in front of em and never lift their foot off the gas -- much less brake or slow down --- ANNND they will change lanes TOWARD the "situation" rather then AWAY from it!

WTF?!

It's WHY we HAVE the MOVE OVER LAW DAMMIT!

Happened to me TWICE today FIRST was a male driver in a black SUV that came up RIGHT ON MY TAIL @ freeway speed [ just feet back after changin IN from my left ] as I was "launching" FULLY "LIT' from the RS of I-5 NB JSO the I-8 interchange -- The RS is really narrow there and a woman from Penn. had stopped as her bike was falling off her car's rack -- I stopped and provided a large bungee cord to better secure the bike. -- She launched safely, and when *I* had a large gap in traffic behind me SO did I -- then this IDIOT comes in behind me from anuther lane -- [ remember I'm FULLY LIT UP! ] WTF is WRONG w some?!

THEN has the audacity to flash his HI beams at me to try to make me speed up?!

YOU IDIOT! WHAT DO YOU *THINK* I'M DOING?!

Second driver was young female -- EB I8 JWO the El Cajon Blvd off -- a SUV is on the RS as I approach so I LITE UP and begin to land behind it -- it begins to "launch" so I angle back out to "cover" it's gitaway and a car comes flyin up beHIND me
[ from anuther lane ] and procedes to try to "smell my tail" UNbelieveable!

oK rant over -- I KNOW CHP *WILL* gittum iif they SEEum doin these things because I've been priviledged to witness em [CHP] doin just that a coupla times

 

About 10 years ago I was leaving Perris Auto Speedway after a night of Saturday night sprint car racing and was travelling on Cajalco Road in Riverside, which is a winding narrow road and in some areas pitch-black dark and very desolate. This road, Cajalco road, could be a place of crimes of opportunity late at night, I thought. Moments later I drove around a dark sightless corner, and my car headlights revealed a man holding and waving a gas can next to his car. My instant thoughts were why would a person drive on this isolated road this late at night knowing they were low on gas and how many people, really, carry around a empty gas can? There were no open gas stations within 10 miles. I had to make an instant command decision and the whole set-up didn't add up, so I kept driving. I always consider myself a person to help in 100% of people in need but there are times when you have to ask yourself is this what it seems or something else?

 

Glad you paid attention to yer "gut" feelin toml24

3 times, in 50 years, I've hadta "take steps" to avoid becomin a victim -- twice, in the 70s and once in the mid 80s -- luckily, emergin unscathed each time, once , thanks to my partner bein observant and armed, and three more times Shela has "dissuaded" persons w probable nefarious intent afore they had a chance to act!


If Shela don't like ya, I'm unlikely to

 

The Station
by Robert J. Hastings

Tucked away in our subconscious minds is an idyllic vision. We see ourselves on a long, long trip that almost spans the continent. We're traveling by passenger train, and out the windows we drink in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle grazing on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, of row upon row of corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hills, of biting winter and blazing summer and cavorting spring and docile fall.
But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour we will pull into the station. There will be bands playing, and flags waving. And once we get there so many wonderful dreams will come true. So many wishes will be fulfilled and so many pieces of our lives finally will be neatly fitted together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles, damning the minutes for loitering ... waiting, waiting, waiting, for the station.
However, sooner or later we must realize there is no one station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us.
"When we reach the station, that will be it !" we cry. Translated it means, "When I'm 18, that will be it ! When I buy a new 450 SL Mercedes Benz, that will be it ! When I put the last kid through college, that will be it ! When I have paid off the mortgage, that will be it ! When I win a promotion, that will be it ! When I reach the age of retirement, that will be it ! I shall live happily ever after !"
Unfortunately, once we get it, then it disappears. The station somehow hides itself at the end of an endless track.
"Relish the moment" is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24: "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." It isn't the burdens of today that drive men mad. Rather, it is regret over yesterday or fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who would rob us of today.
So, stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, go barefoot oftener, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. The station will come soon enough.

 

http://www.motivateus.com/stories/was-this-an-angel.htm

Was This An "Angel" Or ?

September 7, 2007





on the road "to" Vegas
As the "Highwayman" -- "playing" on the local freeways -- I had made several "assists" this day -- ONE of them was on the I-8 WB between 70th St - Lake Murray and the College Ave exchanges.


I pulled up behind an older Datsun pickup on the RS and it was steaming. The gal had the hood up and had already located the problem - a small bypass hose had blown. Well, I carry bulk lengths of hose of that sort for situations like this so we proceeded to effect the repair together.

The shoulder on the road was wide and unobstructed so I pulled the rig up beside her truck for better access to my tools. She mentioned she had called her husband prior to my arrival.

As I got out from moving the rig, I glanced back up the road, and there, walking on the shoulder coming towards us, was a man who was a little shorter and a little stockier than I, with long hair, a mustache, dark complexion [ but not Hispanic ] and looked to be in his 40's, maybe.

As he came up to us, I asked the gal if she knew him but she didn't. At this point her husband arrived and I went to talk with the walker.

He asked me if I knew how to get to Las Vegas? I said, "Well, yes but I'm kinda busy right now. If you'll wait over there where it's safe, I'll talk to you in a couple of minutes."

I went back to work completing the repair with the help of the woman's husband -- filled the radiator -- ran the engine for a bit to check for leaks or overheat damage [ none luckily ] and instructed them how to "launch" safely back into the traffic flow -- [ both did ].

THEN -- I turned to the fellow who had waited patiently for my attention and noticed that he was carrying only a large, old fashioned, red Bible and a bottle of water and wore no jacket and only lightweight clothes.

He again stated that he needed to get to Las Vegas and could I get him there? I said that I could give him a lift off the freeway and to the train station. He said that he didn't have any money and showed me a wallet that had a Nevada ID in it and nothing else [ and NO -- I don't remember the name on it, but it WAS his picture ].

Well, to get him off the freeway and out of harm's way and a possible ticket from the CHP, I decided to give him a lift to a safer place.

As he got in next to Shela [ my search dog and "shotgun" rider ] she GRINNED at him and moved over without my having to tell her to.

He began to talk of his travels and having just come from Cuba as I "launched" back into traffic and tried to figure out what I was going to be able to do for him. I momentarily got the urge to TAKE him to Vegas before "sanity" returned and I figured to drop him at the Fairmont exit where he could walk safely.

But no -- he pointed to the 15 North exchange and said, "That's the way to Vegas, please".

So, I took the 15 North and swung off at Friar's Road and pulled to the curb where he could cross to the other side to catch a ride in the right direction safely.

As he got out of the rig, I handed him a McDonald's $5 gift certificate book, some of my "survival rations" from the rig's stock, and, as the skies were looking threatening, one of my "trash bag" ponchos I carry for accident victims.

As I turned to leave, he put down what he was carrying and reached out with both arms and hugged me and said, "Thank you, Thomas".

I hadn't told him my name!

I drove up the road to the first light [ short distance ] made a right to swing a u turn to come back and re-enter the freeway . He was GONE! He was only out of my sight for a moment as I turned.

THEN, I thought back to when I'd first seen him approaching us on the freeway shoulder. He HADN'T come from the 70th St - Lake Murray exchange because I'd have SEEN him as I passed, before I stopped to help the little lady!!

Got home, told the wife, she said "Tom, tomorrow's Easter."

Read more at http://www.motivateus.com/stories/was-this-an-angel.htm#fSykDyKIskTdHq8s.99

 

My story for t-day 02/21/13
Went out to "play" -- been promisin Shela DID so fer a while -- back & forth "over the bridge & thru the woods [ park ] several times - stopped by a resturant I've frequented over the years -- 40 years -- WAS a Denny's THEN a Topsy's THEN Brian's -- NOW it's called Maple -- shoulda guessed from the name it weren't gonna be like *I* am used to
REALLY UPSCALE! not set up yet to have breakfast -- if they're ever gonna -- hamburger was FOURTEEN DOLLARS! coke wern't light eaither!
anyways, I digress, everyone was nice & friendly - must a been 20 plus servers, & staff fer about that many tables & booths -- WAY less places to sit then afore -- seemed like a lotta em were walkin around to look busy
anyways, I decided to give em a try -- took a while fer the food to come, but, it WAS good -- kinda kinky small rectangular boards w paper coverins instead of plates ??
nice silverware, cloth nappy, no paper nappys until I asked fer some so's I could take last coupla bites of burger out to Shela waitin patiently in the Merc - her eyes fixed on *me* inside the resturant -- asked for my check -- waitress said
"there IS no check for you -- friend of your's have already spoken for it" :O
well, that was a nice surprize -- went over and said thankee -- nice couple --
from there, it was once thru the park agin and over the bridge -- @ the top of the bridge, leanin agiainst the moveable jersey wall in the center, is the whole "donut" of a steel radial tire tread!! wasn't there the last time I passed over -- scannin the traffic ahead for brake lights I don't see any, but --- this donut is fresh, so whatever lost it hasn't gotten far -- THERE it is -- at the bridge plaza -- van type vehicle maybe Chrysler w a RR FT -- did my roll-out into the plaza and doubled back to where the van had stopped -- RR was onlt sidewalls -- fell had driven it offa the bridge after the explosive blowout that threw the whole tread donut inta traffic behind him [ caused a TC between 2 vehicles followin him we come to find out later ]
anyways -- spare on thisun was kinda hard to find -- turns out it was built inta the LR corner of the van -- tho it didn't appear to BE there - it WAS was flat of course
changed out the ruined RR, installed the donut spare, aired it up to 60 and prepared to leave -- just then the folks whose cars had been damaged by the ruckus showed up and the fella assurred em he was gonna make it right w em -- he said to me he wanted to give me somethin for helpin him and I, of course said "just pass it on" but he was insistant, and said he worked "for the government" and made me take a gold coin he'd carried in his pocket for years -- I accepted as a souveneer, and pocketed it w thanke and *almost* asked what he did for the government? and if he told me would he haveta kill me?
got home, looked at the coin, --------------------------------------------------------- well I'm GLAD I didn't ask the jokin questions -------------------------------------------------
"Central Intelligence Agency" "United States of America"

 

Sadly, this did NOT go well

It's been a YEAR --

She's untrustworthy - dysfunctional - and therefore unusable

Beulah is aGAIN "intered" in the back yard -- PRETTY, but nonfunctional until she can be REwired properly -- and EVERYthing WORKS -- PROPERLY [ my LIFE depENDS on it! ] -- and *I* can't DO it anymore


1 Year Ago
See Your Memories





Thomas Weller
September 15, 2015 ·
dropped off Beulah this mornin w an EXpert to git her nervous system
[ electrical ] comPLETEly REwired - gonna be a few weeks till she's "On the Road aGIN"

 

One never knows -- the difference a kind word or action kin make in anuther's life

http://heroicstories.org/my-elevator-friend/

 

Saw this vehicle enter WB I-8 from 70th St -- as it got UP to freeway speed, the top mattress lifted and began to blow around!!

I could just envision the MAYhem that was aBOUT to ensue!

So -- I "SPOKE" to the driver on my PA! Driver pulled over beFORE the mattresses came off WHEW!
I sorta suspect this driver's had some "experience" w LEO's [ notice the hands out the driver's side window ] and I sorta WISHED a CHP would happen to arrive and take notice, as I'm guessin from her actions she likely is NOT a shining example of an upstanding citizen -- but -- that's" NMJ" [ Not My Job ] MY "job" [ calling if you will ] is to protect others from HARM caused by the negligence of those w lesser intelligence -- who KNOWS how many innocents would have, COULD have been damaged, hurt -- or even KILLED if these mattresses had been flyin around IN lanes? I "instructed" her to get OFF the freeway @ College and continue on surface streets at a lesser speed, unlikely to "raise" the mattress again, now that it's more tightly secured -- She agreed, and DID

Only ONE strap holding ALL those mattresses! and that ONE in the middle


I carry 10 of these for JUST this kinda "situation" --

aWAY she goes -- and she DID get off @ College

just an example of WHAT can happen http://www.ocregister.com/articles/killed-651270-friday-car.html

 

‎Thomas Weller‎ to Thomas Weller
September 12 at 12:25pm ·
just did this aGIN, this weekend, fer anuther young fella on the SB transistion curve from WB I-8 to SB 163 -- DANGEROUS place! A CHP officer provided "cover" for us while there I hoping this fella returns my battery as well --- we'll see --

He DID, just toDAY, had lotsa problems w his car -- and needed time to git em corrected -- young fella showd up w his mother-in-law, wife,young baby, and three littl dogs --[ in mother-in law's vehicle ]
to return my battery

feelin better about the world

2 Years Ago
See Your Memories
August 23, 2014 ·
tonite, Saturday, 8:30 pm young fella returned my battery I'd loaned him yesterday -- out "playin on the freeway"

 

TODAY -- Saturday, 09/17/2016 ---


ToDAY @ Grossmont Center


Thomas Weller https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn5g0tObyK8

car show today @ Grossmont center --
YOUTUBE.COM


Thomas Weller The Merc's got a WIDE turnin radius UNlike Beulah, which could turn on a dime --

Thomas Weller https://youtu.be/EhFdBtvj6Dk

Headin home --
beautiful littl rod next to me @ the stop light -- THEN - @ the next light, someone comes up…
YOUTUBE.COM


Thomas Weller https://youtu.be/xocKK_ANvc0

This littl gal was probably…
YOUTUBE.COM


Thomas Weller https://youtu.be/DAVNPymkqh4

"assisted" this fella in BETTER securin his load
YOUTUBE.COM

 

September 19, 2012 at 4:31pm ·
t-NITE's adventures were all w the same young fella --

been goin out mostly near twilite recently as the Merc, Shela, & I - NONE of us likes nor tolerates HEAT well

anyways, agin, I didn't git outta El Cajon afore i come across an oveheated older Jeep loaded up w all the young fella's belongings, 2 bikes on the roof along with a large cargo pod and the interior filled w th erest of his stuff - even the passenger seat.

he's asittin on the RS JWO the West Main St on to WB I-8 and that JEEP'S HOT -- come all the way from Illinois, Chicago he did and was a tryin to git to Mission Beach where apparently his GF lives --

asked him "the questions" I did "Did it stop on it's own or did YOU shut it off?" he answered correctly -- he'd shut it off

got him goin w pourin water as he started up th eengine and had him turn on the heater as well -- [ it's anuther radiator ya know , helps to cool an overheated engine ]

anyways -- continued on WB and took the Severin off to refill my water can at a station there -- took a while cause of the cheap-ass water and air supplies a lot of gas stations have nowadays got it full and headed out agin WB 8 figurin I'd do a loop over the bridge then back to the "ranch"

takin the SB SR163 offa the 8 I come upon the SAME fella on the South end of the curvin offramp overheated agin gotta be a stuck thermostat he'd takin a wrong turn [ bein from Illinois ] and fortunately fer him landed in my path agin

told him bout the parkin lot across from Mercy hospital on the Fifth St offa the 163 and instructed him to go there where I'd meet up w him

GOT there OK and called a tow for him to take him to where he wanted to go to in Mission Beach -- He wasn't in any shape to be spendin the rest of the nite beside the road or worse so I told him when -if he could, he could pay me back for the tow BUT he didn't *owe* me for it just PAY IT FORWARD when the oppertunity presented itself

Went back to check on him some time later, tow hadn't arrived yet so I made anuther call - was answered by the tow driver just then comin up the hill -- said he could SEE my lites a sittin there and I could see his too -

GOOD timing! and a good nite's work -- I'm gonna sleep well

got a nice e-mail this afternoon from last nite's fella

Hello Thomas,

This is Scott . You helped me out last night and I would like to send you a check for the tow.
I would also like to thank you once again for assisting me with my jeep and keeping me company. It was a long trip and you helped me to stay positive.

I look forward to when it is my turn to help those in need and send the message!

Also, I would like so set you up with padres tickets, if you are interested. But let me know soon because their season is coming to an end!

Best of luck out there,

Scott

NICE of him to offer the Padres tickets -- but the only *sport* I'm really interested is "playin on the freeway"

 

I have to say sir... I admire your dedication. personally ... i'm at the point of retiring from the world to Tijuana and Margaritaville and in drunken bliss... live out my remaining days in the arms of beautiful women.
as an aside... maybe self driving computer cars are not such a bad thing after all.

 

my day, Friday, 20 September 2013

coupla "FIRSTS" tday --

woke @ 4am, couldn't git back to sleep, got a car "comin to pick me up" @ 7:15 for a national TV interview on MSNBC [ cable tv, it turns out ]

so, I git up and git ready anyways -- putter around doin this & that -- my "witch" & Shela git up & see me off -- town car shows up 15 min early -- GOOD driver

this is the FIRST time in my life I've ever ridden in a car w a driver that was "sent" for me

[ first first of the day & my life ]

went to put my walkin stick in the back seat [ I'm gonna ride in the front ] back door wouldn't open easily -- [ more on that later ]

"Woodie" the driver, took me right to the "studio" downtown near the gaslamp district -- right tiny place, what I saw of it anyways -- only one fella there, the techy, Sam - nice fella - - just had a baby daughter, he and wife not sleepin too well just now

makeup gal, Scarlett, came in fer a few moments and applied some to me [ second first of the day & my life ] to make me beautymus fer the camera [ like that'd help in my case ] and, as she worked she realized that she recognized! me -- I'd helped her beside the road sometime back when she'd had a blowout on her Mini

all set & waitin fer the show to come time fer my part -- [ bout 21/2 min total ] settin in a raised chair wearin an earwig & makeup w bright lights on me & Sam behind the camera givin me instructions to "talk to the camera -- look at the camera -- not at me"

come time and I hear the anchor's voice in my ear talkin bout me & askin me questions on how I got started doin what I do

REAL disconcertin, in that I can't see who I'm talkin to and I cant see anythin else as well sides the camera [ room is pretty dark beyond the lights ]

My daughter in Virginny says I did well but, I think she's kinda gonna say that regardless, right?

anyways, Sam gave me a DVD copy of my segment of the show and we [ witch & Shela & I ] watched it on my arrivin back at the ranch & to me, it looks like I'm sittin there w a stick up my as- kinda rigid & blinkin like a deer in the headlites

*when* we arrived back at the ranch, I asked Woodie to hang on fer a moment as I went and got my can of white lithium brush on grease and applied a mite to that door latch that'd given trouble earlier -- shut the door, and asked him to try it -- opened at his touch, easily >chuckle< back when I usta work @ a Shell service station as a mechanic, I gained new clients near every day by listinin up when folks'd git outta their cars at the pumps w loud protestin squawks from their unlubricated door hinges then, I'd walk out & lubricate em for them -- *my* clients cars never squawked

anyways

went "out to play" fer a while

headed WB I-8 JWO the I-15 on the RS there's a beatup [ usta be white ] Ford Tarus w a gas can sittin on it's trunk lid and a torn up tire leanin against the back bumper
[ BOTH universal signs of distress ]

I'm not positioned to safely land there, so I "goaround" from Texas, back EB to the I-15 and then finally back WB to come up behind em lit up fer pertection.

fella drivin is takin female passenger to hospital - -she's sick -- they've had a BO [ he'd changed the tire already and the donut was on the car ] AND then run OOG as well

Gave em some

gave the fella one my addy cards as well cause it looked to me like they weren't in any shape to "buy" anuther tire, and I've still got 3 15" tires left out behind the barn -- told him if he could git out to me I'd have a tire for him --

i'm gonna havet to hit up JYK fer some decent 15" tires if he has any -- I'm gittin kinda shy of em since I retired from "workin" my stock of "emergency" tires is depleatin as I give em away and some I've hadta *throw* away as they've become unsafe to "give* agewise

Well, NOW - he's ready to "launch" and there a sudden loud series of noises behind us as several cars strike and drag some plastic storage containers that had flown outta the back of a small pickup approachin our position!! ONEa the cars strikein & draggin em neata swipes the Tarus as it heads for the RS -- then the plastic comes disengaged from under and the car continues down the road -- beHIND my Merc, the small pickup comes onto the RS and stops short -- to my relief -- of hitting it -- WHEW!

young gal gits out and starts walkin up pickin up pieces of the busted containers as she comes -- I pick some up as well outta the slow lane next to us as the traffic allows and toss them over onto the RS median -- she picks them up as well

She'd not had any tiedowns on her load, not knowin what the wind kin do, and didn't have any so I gave her some of those that I carry fer JIST these kinda situations and we strapped down the load t-geather -- sent her on her way w a Via Con Dios as always and onea my addy cards as well cause she insisted she want to return my bungees TO me - She DID, they arrived t-day, priority mail, they were HERE when i returned from *tday's* "playin on the freeway"

nice thankee card included

to wit --

Dear Angel,

Thank you for your light and assistance today when helping me tie down some of the items to the back of my red truck on highway 8 west Fri. 9/20
I am inspired by your mission to spread peace on earth.
I cannot thank you enough for your kindness today and would also like to thank you for being a light for the rest of us.
You prevented injury to others and helped me very much.
Sending you peace and appreciation,

Jessica

went roundabout some more - -over the bridge & thru the park -- a coupla other assists - and I meet my bro fer lunch @ the denny's @ clairmont square - we're havin lunch on the patio -- where Shela is a welcome guest as well and I notice a fella out in the parkin lot takin pics of the Merc - he looks over and sees me & Steve and allows as to how I'd stopped to help him on the road recently NICE fella, from the Chechen Republic in Europe -- said he'd been "passin it on" since

He went inside and commandeered our lunch check and paid it

there's more to yisterday's story -- but my mind's goin blank

kinda tuckered jist now -- gonna haveta go siesta fer a while

GOOD on EVERYBODY here!

 

Enjoyed your thread post today as usual, but as an old fart myself, I'm confused on how to view the things that had a thumbnail pic. And Facebook kept popping up in it and I don't do Facebook.

 

thankee kindly "mrspeedyt" helps keep me on the "RIGHT" side O the grass [ purpose ]

as to the selfdrivin cars tho ----


Thomas Weller
September 21, 2012 ·
I got "chased" by a CHP yesterday -- I came over the Coronado bridge -- as i'm prone to do -- several times a day when I'm out "playin" -- lots of interestin things happen on that bridge see my blog fer bridge stories -- http://snowchains.tripod.com/sandiegohighwaymansweblogonlinediary/


and, as i did my turnaround @ the plaza and launched back to San Diego, I noticed a patrol unit comin up fast behind me -- thinkin I was gonna be in his way, I moved over one lane to the right -- had an "oh shit" moment as the cruiser came up beside me and slowed -- It was someone I've known since he was born wantin to say HI

so i followed him off the bridge into the barrio neighborhood below where we had a nice chat catchin up -- on leaving, we both returned to the bridge, crossing to Coronado agin -- and well -- Whoa Susanna! I noticed in the opposin lanes back to San Diego 3 fellas out of a compact car apushin it -one fella asteerin -uphill - towards the crest of the bridge -- hadta be OOG - so I did a RIGHT QUICK turnaround @ the plaza agin and headed back to assist - HUGE traffic backup it was causin -- ahead of me i could see a CHP unit lit up and running a break to git to em as well -- when he got TO em he pushed em off the bridge and right back to the exact spot where we'd just had our chat - whereupon I was able to give em some gas -- ANNND some ice cold bottles of water from my cooler -- them fellas were SOME tuckered and overheated from apushin that littl car
__________________

 

Thankee kindly Dave -- I'm easily confused M'self, so I always *try* to make the pics full size, tho sometimes it don't work Preciate that you enjoy my meanderins & rememberins

 

It is my hope, by sharin my meanderins & rememberances, that *others* may be inspired to do a kindness when they see a chance to ---

 

Thomas.I thought you might enjoy this. I took the State Trooper to a car show Last Sat and an ex state trooper was looking my car over and said when I was driving this year car I was handing out a lot of tickets. I said yea and I was on the reciving side of them. We both had a good laugh.Bruce.

 

Thinking of quitting REALLY bad day today maintenance and upkeep of Merc -- to be ABLE --- to go out and "play" --- becoming exTENSIVE and TIME consuming!

Rear main seal leaking badly grown worse over time --

Transmission "bleeding"

Power steering control valve weeping -- [ last one I have ]

Final straw toDAY
Radiator sprung a leak -- sprayin the distributor -- causin the engine to misfire, stumble and DIE several times -- in freeway traffic -- once in the CD twice on the RS -- got OFF @ Fletcher Pkwy and took surface streets home -- made it -- but only just --

Beulah "pretty" but NOT serviceable -usable due to her wiring issues

REALLY DISCOURAGED just now made a mess of her it's gonna be a week or more ---

 

Thomas Weller
September 25, 2015 ·
Tears in my eyes jist now -- a small boy, who is one of my "regulars" in coming by on Fridays, on his way home after school, for popsicles I give children, during the hot summer days -- came BACK today, after having one, with his mother in her car, to say thank you!

Not only that but he gave me $5 he had saved to give TO me FOR giving kids popsicles over the years --

he wanted to HELP!

his mom told me as to how I'd givin her older son popsicles as *he'd* passed by and how *he* still remembered


BOUT them popsicles ---- read *this* THRU to git the significance of what I DO and the reference TO "popsicles"

Saturday, 13 April 2013

On the 8, a long LONG time ago --

Hello, Mr. Weller,

Cleaning out a drawer this past week, I came across the card you gave me when you rescued me on the 8 freeway about 27 years ago. So I was curious, and Googled your name, only to have the article written on the Huffington Post come up. That was one sweet write-up, and it warmed my heart to know you were still rescuing folks along the way. I found your website, and thought I’d relay my story.

I was in a little Ford Courier truck in the fast line on the 8, right around Fletcher Parkway when it died. It was a Friday night, lots of traffic, cell phones were non-existent, and I was in a panic. How do I get out of my car and get to the other side of the freeway, let alone get help? I could feel tears welling up in my eyes, while drivers swerved to get around me, no doubt cursing me for holding them up. Then I see a beautiful, older car pull ahead of me in the lane, and, instead of moving on, started backing up! Could this be a miracle? YES! You were my miracle! You came to my window, and softly asked “what seems to be the trouble?” Heck if I knew, but I tried to start the truck again, to no avail. You calmly told me you were going to get a rope and tie it to my bumper to tow me to safety. Once you were done, you came to my window again and said, “whatever you do, don’t run over the rope.” I can’t even remember where we towed it to – someplace off Grossmont Center Drive, I believe. I thanked you profusely, and said I’d walk to a pay phone to call my husband. You, instead, drove me all the way to Parkway Plaza so I could meet him there. I can’t even remember how I got a hold of him, but we were both grateful beyond measure for your help.

Since then, I’ve always remembered you and that evening when I see someone in distress, and more than once, I’ve helped someone out. Paying it back and paying it forward always feels great, and I do it with love in my heart and gratitude for my highway “angel” so many years ago.

And now, I’m off to write a check to you as a small token of my esteem for not only helping me, but helping out all those other stranded motorists over the years. Thank you, Tom!
howdy M'lady

thought ya might enjoy seein this [ onea my blog posts recently ]

04/23/13

tday was a test - it was only a TEST - actually, it was QUITE a test!

of my patience, perseverence, and attitude ---
on the PLUS side I didn't take the Lord's name in vain -- on the minus side I think I invented some NEW swear words

young fella -- SB SR 163 JNO the Balboa Bridge -- on the RS w a RF blown & shredded on a littll rice rocket Honda

NO spare, but he's GOT one at home -- says he -- so, I take him home off the SB I-5 @ Imperial round 20th St & up to the Golden Hill area I think -- he gits a spare offa a Nissan quest there -- 5 bolt - I ask him if his car is a 4 or a 5 -- he says 5 -- we git back to it and it's a 4 so -- I tell him I'll be back in about 45 min w a spare fer him

he's disbelivein that I'm gonna come back -- he's disbelievin that I'm helpin him at all -- he's askin me several times "how much is this gonna cost me? -- he's disbelievin me -- he asks me who pays me? he's disbelievin that *I* haveta PAY to DO this!! He asks me "are you RICH?"

I tell him "only in Karma"

I come back w 3 different "mickey mouse" donut spares -- NONE of em fit the pattern -- too small [ gonna be lookin fer some w a larger 4 bolt pattern next weekend @ the swap meet ]

he's got 17 inch aftermarket wheels w the type of lugnuts that take a "key" socket to install-remove -- he don't HAVE the "key" I try takin em off w a socket and they jam in the socket -- one by one -- haveta hammer em out w a punch I JIST added to my impact tool kit a week ago due to similer circumstances w anuther incident --

MUCH more to come -- I jist got in & I'm HOT, tired, & worn out -- so I'm agonna hit the shower & rest awhile afore I come back to finish this --

----------------------------------------------------------------------
well, I'm baaaack -- after a nice HOT shower and a juicy steak w buttered broccoli florets cooked fer me by my wonderfull "witch" -- that's w a W -- NOT a B

watched some bad news on the telly and came back to finish tellin my story here --

------------------------------------------------------------------------
So we got all four lock lugs off -- one at a frustureatin time took a LOT of time hammerin then damn things outta the socket w the punch so's to git the next one -- we take off the wheel and we go to a tire shop on Imperial where we pull in and onea the fellas immeadeatly comes over to me to say thanks fer the popsicles I usta give him on Fridays back when he was jist a kid walkin home from school [ the kid I'm helpin, his jaw is hangin Open in amazement as he says -- "they KNOW you in the BARRIO"?! ]

they HAVE a tire, good used [ nearly new ] for $50 one fella mounts it up and balances it as well we pull out and are nearly back to the freeway afore I remember them damn lock lugs -- don't wanta dick around w THEM agin so I stop at an Autozone that jist happened to be handy and aqquired 4 ordaniry lug nuts to fit --

we head back NB I-5 to NB SR 163 and the traffic's backed up fer the afternoon rush beginnin so I haveta LITE UP to keep the boogers offa my tail as we decend into the mess -- bout halfway down I notice anuther small car of on the extreme RS near the call box there -- so I tell the kid we're gonna stop and see if I kin help that fella -- I LIT UP my arrow bar and strobes and start anglin over -- folks make a hole for me and I land in front of the disabled and back up to it -- it's an OH [ overheat ] -- I ask the fella the 2 important questions that go w an OH -- "did it DIE?" or "did you shut it off beFORE it died?" he answered correctly

So I was able to git *him* on his way w a cooled down engin & a full radiator told him to turn his heater ON as well to help keep it cool

we went around @ Robinson and came back SB to land behind his littl rice rocket fer the FORTH and last time things finally went well and we launched tgeather w me "coverin" as the traffic was HEAVY but they made a hole fer us when I LIT

this here is like a "Reader's Digest" version of all that went on to git this fella outta harm's way -- but -- I don't have it left in me to tell the long version as t-nite's NCIS nite and I gotta go take a littl nappy so's I don't miss my favorite show


do ya know, this day's doins cost me over $100 -- fuel, tire, lugnuts, etc but, ya'll remember that rescue note of thanks from 27 years ago I'd jist got? -- she'd *sent* me $100 check

unawares, she helped me help this fella



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THANKEE M'lady Phyllis

yer kindness got "passed on" this day

GOOD onya

 

The effects of kindness
are not always seen
immediately.
sometimes it takes
years until your
kindness will pay off,
and is returned to you.
And sometimes you
never see the fruits of
your labors, but they are
there, deep inside of the
soul of the one you
touched

 

Went out this mornin to the bank and ta git my ears lowered by my fav barber

Goin WB on the I-8, I see a Mustang in the CD w a CHP behind it and figure "someone's gittin a ticket.

Comin back, I see a tow @ the Mustang and think ?? as I continue on my way

anyways -- it's a bit later morning now and and I'm agittin ready to go out to "play" fer a while on the freeway -- I come over the rise WB agin, and there's the Mustang -- STILL there ?? -- someone small sittin on the passenger side -- so I light up and pull off in front of it -- back up to it and investigate.

Little girl's been cryin

She's had a tread delamination blowout on her LR tire and the remainin tread, flailin around the wheel well had damaged the body as well

CHP had stopped to help her and had requested a tow to change out the tire for her "courtesy" as she had no HE [help enroute] no funds to pay, and no one local to assist her.

Tow driver had done as requested and left but didn't notice she couldn't leave --

She said to me that the car "wouldn't move" after the tire was changed

I immeadeatly suspected that the spare wasn't correct and was jammed on the brake caliper -- [ seen that before ] so, withour further ado, I removed her blown tire from the trunk and told her I'd return w a good one for her in about 20 min.

She protested that she couldn't pay I assured her that that wasn't an issue as I gave her my card and explained my reason for bein there.

Now I'm sizin up her situation as I'm talkin w her, and it looks to me like she's got everythin she owns packed inta that car and I'm guessin she's been havin a REALLY bad day [or more]

sooooo

I got a tire of the same size from my stock I keep for these kinda situations, mounted it up on her wheel, and took it back to her on the freeway.

Took the spare off and installed the good tire and tried to move the car

Wouldn't start

She's lookin pretty sad jist now

She had said it wouldn't "move"

It comes to me from past experience that the Mustang [ and other Ford vehicles ] have a "rollover" cutoff switch for the fuelpump located in the trunk on the LR wheel well and when the LR tire blows in this fashion it often trips that switch with the flailing of the tread against the body metal.

I locate the switch, press the button, and try to start it agin ROOOORHMMMMMM

The look on her face made my day

Reason I didn't *think* of that switch first? -- she REALLY needed a tire w which to continue her journey safely other 3 were ok

anyways --

 

I had the same experience coming back from visiting my mom in Florida (she was in hospice), to Virginia. I was driving my 1950 Ford 2dr sedan, flathead powered.

I came upon an older couple driving early 90's Marquis or Crown Vic on the side of I-95 with a shredded LR tire. I pulled over in front of them. Took out my floor jack and put on their spare. Their car would not start so I had him pop the hood. Before I raised it, I thought about the fuel shut off. Reset it and the engine fired up. Good to go so I went to latch the hood and saw water/anti freeze along edges of fenders. Raised hood and saw that there was a leak some where. I thought it might be a heater hose, but couldn't tell as it appeared to be under the intake.

I had a jug of water as did he. I filled his radiator and had him follow me to the exit where we stopped at a gas station. We got directions to a garage and he followed me there.
The lady offered to pay me but I refused any payment. Then she asked me what "Cruising For A Cure" across the trunk of my Fifty meant. I told her I was a member of a cancer "Relay for Life" team. She then offered to make a donation to that. I said that would be nice, but not knowing how much the repairs to their car would be, they should save their money for that.

I found out later that the leak was most likely a cracked intake manifold, I think there was a problem with those. I stop to help others when ever I can because as Highwayman says, what goes around comes around.

A little added bit, Mom passed the following week. We had the funeral in Columbus, Ga. At 9pm on July 5, 2005 I headed to Columbus for the funeral. Again in my 50. At midnight on I-85 in N.Carolina, my lights went out, battery dead. I pull to side of road, reach under seat for new voltage regulator, flashlight in mouth I change it. Of course it won't start so I push start and I was on my way. I didn't mention, but I was by myself.

I think I'll stop for now. Travelling is always an adventure for me.

 

Looking at pics of the 56 Merc wagon..... Looks just like my first car I bought in 1970 !! Mowed yards all summer to earn that $50.00 !!! Wish I had another one

Sent from my LG-H343 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

on a lark -- a nite time 3 fer

I went out t-nite -- been doin mostly daytime cruises even tho I've done got my eyes fixed and have perfect nitetime vision -- but my "witch" was visitin her sister and I got bored --

first thing, I fueled up and noticed the damn oil companies have decided to RAPE and PILLAGE us some more!!!! DAMMMMMMNNN IT!!!!!!!!

Anyways, pulled outta the station to hit the I-8 freeway WB and discovered I'd left my clipboard back at the ranch -- so I took my "home" off ramp [ where I wouldn't have gone iffin I'd had my clipboard ] and right at the bottom of the ramp was a leetil pickup w a blown&shredded RR tire -- no spare -- well hmmmmm? I'm only 3 blocks from the "ranch" so I tell em I"m gonna take their ruined tire and put anuther on and be back in 20 min w it -- so I did that -- and then the woman wouldn't let me leave w out stuffin some bills in my shirt pocket -- told her 3 times to just "pass it on"

Well, continuin on -- I take the 163 SB from the I-8 WB and I'm mergin over to the #2 lane when, just in time, in a break of traffic, I see a yellow taxi on the RS just below Mercy Hospital -- I lite up and manage to manuver to hit the RS ahead of the taxi and back up to it w my directional arrow bar agoin & strobes lit -- they're OOG [ Out Of Gas ] well *that's* the EASIEST thing I do -- they was REAL happy to see me
got em goin easy
continued on up the 5th Ave off ramp and stopped @ the Hillcrest 76 to refill the can and put some in the tank as well -- [ them bills from the first gal covered it just right ]

then -- "over the bridge and thru the woods" as I call it -- thru the park actually -- and I'm comin back NB 163 and I see, right where the taxi had been previously, a small car w a LF FT -- fella is settin out a distress warnin triangle reflector behind it as I pass -- WELL now -- gonna haveta SEE about that -- go around @ Friar's road and double back to land behind him lit up again as it's dangerous there on that curve -- fella is under the front of his car tryin to set an odd jack he has -- I whip out my handy-dandy lightweight service jack and raise the car offa his before he knows whats goin on
then, to gittin the FT off -- this vehicle has a 4 lug pattern and one is broken already
and anuther is crossthreaded and they happen to be togeather BAD news! 2 opposites woulda been better - but -- no choice but I told him NOT to drive on freeway but to continue up 5th and take city streets to his destination as 2 lugs side by side is NOT real secure -- as we're doin this a CHP shows up and lites up as well to cover us -- officer walks up and checks out the situation and asks if I'd seen a yellow Crown Vic around YUP -- that was the OOG taxi 20 min previously
Officer thanked me for helpin both folks and I made a new friend I think -- he'd never heard of me afore t-nite

Shure was a GREAT evenin out "playin"

 

I was standing in my garage, when, out of the corner of my eye, I caught the motion of a dark red small plane falling out of the sky

It hit the street, in front of my house, with a loud CRUNCH!

It must have run out of gas for there was no fire

I stood there STUNNED for a moment stareing at the crumpled remains --

then I sprang into action, yelling for Patti to "CALL 911! A PLANE HAS JUST CRASHED INTO THE STREET IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE!"















THEN ----------------- I woke up -- -it was 6:10 this mornin ----- Patti was awake too ------ she hadn't heard a thing --- I was shaking --------- my head and back hurt

it was the most realistic nighmare I've ever had --

WHEW!