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

LOST my AIR TANK toDAY!
frown emoticon
got rattled by a near miss from traffic caused by a lookie lou driver slowin down beside me as I was packin my gear after assistin his fella [ vids loadin ] I flattened myself against the Merc's side as a car slid towards me and totally forgot about the air tank I'd placed behind the Merc and drove away and LEFT it on the shoulder!
frown emoticon

It is a BRIGHT blue tank w reflectorized sides and ends - says San Diego Highwayman [ reflectorized also ] and has a "please return to" sticker ON it with my address right on top

I didn't miss it untill I stopped @ the Hillcrest 76 station to REfill it from usin it to git my friend Doug goin - [ vids uploadin -- you'll SEE it in the last vid ] it was sittin on the RS of I-8 WB JEO the College Ave off ramp

if *you* stopped and picked it up, PLEASE -- return it TO me - I've used it hundreds of times -- I have need of it EVERY day - sometimes MANY times a day when I'm out there helpin folks - it was set up w everything I need to deal w flat tires and spare donuts with an assortment of tools and fittings velcroed to the top of the tank for instant access --


PLEASE if you SEE someone havin it TELL them I NEED it back!

 

Were you able to fit the pool table back into the car?

 

chuckle wingnutz, everything IN Beulah is going to be BACK on the pool table September- October as her "spaghetti" "Meduza" "RatFink's nest" of wires git professionaly done

in the meantime -- it looks like I'm gonna haveta aquire anuther air tank and outfit it w all the "necessarys" to be usefull out On The Road *that's* gonna cut inta my fuel budget

I'd had the one that was lost near 20 years

 

I think someone will come forward and call you or stop by with the tank. The person who finds it will see your info , and will have seen you helping people all this time. Will it happen before you buy another one ? Who knows ?! I hope so.

 

tank hasn't come home hadta go out and git anuther -- 4 days time and over $100 [ so far ] to end up w a Californicated Chinese made air tank that won't BLAST because it's valve is contrived to only allow a slower flow [ to keep idiots safer I imagine ] *my* blue tank was 20 years old and didn't *have" "restrictions" on the flow -- it was assumed, I believe, that if one bought it one would KNOW to be carefull WITH it

NOW, I'm gonna haveta investigate, probably @ a plumbing store or Home Depot, to find a FULL flow valve to fit to the tank so that I kin USE it, as I was ABLE to use the other, to seat tire beads that had come off the rim from bein flat or run underinflated. -

This has been nearta a WEEK'S time lost and fuel funds spent for a moments inattention and anuther's lack of intregrity "Oh! GEE! Look what I found! COOL air tank! "finders keepers" Well, you didn't "steal" it, BUT, yer karma will BE yer own for not returnin it

all I have to say

 

Yesterday at 12:36pm ·
Mid day today -- backin Beulah outta my Madison Ave driveway, I slowly backed out till I could SEE both ways -- lookin to my left, I see a coupla guys pushin a pickup WB -- they'd *jist* passed my gate as it opened -- well, I proceeded to follow em up as they ran out of steam [ a half block ] and asked [ on my PA ] if they were out Of GAS? "OOG" they both jumped straight in the air! said "where did YOU come from? smile emoticon

GAVE em some smile emoticon

Beulah's not "highway ready" yet and this is the second rescue I've been able to complete w her *already*

It may be December before she's actually IN service tho -- too many "issues" electrically

 

removed the "super" brake light that's not so super anymore worryin it apart oK then -- like 20 years ago, LED brake lites were a newfangled thing -- these 2 "stacks" of 4 each [ 8 seperate individual lights ] I'd purchased from an electronics surplus warehouse and assembled to suit my wish for a "super" brake lite to help protect me in my "situations" I git involved in On The Road settin up to bench test the lite *that's* MORE like it! next, to git the 4 verticle "stay back" LEDs operational how she is at rest now how she usta be, at rest -- afore she got "killed"

It's FREEEKIN HOT round these parts jist now so *I'm* stayin IN & doin what I kin to ready Beulah for her *complete* REwire comin up next month - it's realitively cool in my shop w the kitchen door open directin cool air from the house INto it -- how is it where yer at?

 

How are those lights for deer?

They can't resist running into my vehicles no matter how visible and loud I make my cars!

 

well, I "like" the LED lite bars that are available for "forward" vision, but, w almost 6oo watts [ 100 fog, 100 driving, and 90/140 headlamps ] I think I'm GOOD [ when they're all wired up & workin that is ] the further and better one kin SEE, the less likely "contact will be made

 

new tank's a leetil smaller then the old, and had "issues" w the manifold, in that, it is made so that one cannot get a BLAST of air to say, REseat a tire bead that's come off the rim from bein flat, or run flat - - annnd, it took a LOOOOONG time to FILL -- these things bein imPORTANT for me to be able to do QUICKLY, I was in a quandry till my brother mentioned the [smaller still] air tank I'd given him years back so he'd have compressed air handy to "blow" computer cases clean -- *that* air tank's manifold turned out to be UNrestricted as my old blue one's was, so I switched em I'm IN business agin!

Sittin on my front porch, readin a Louis L'Amour novel, and who should stop by w a gift for me? $100 [ he'd said that if the tank wasn't returned he wanted to do this -- told him he didn't have to -- but -- I'm GLAD he did ]
thankee KINDLY Doug!



NOW, I kin go out to "PLAY" some more [ the $100+ I'd hadta spend to replace and reequip my lost tank had depleted my available fuel money fer the week ]

 

It was HOT yesterday at the car parts & show at the Q

 

SUPER HOT today! 90 in the shade in my back yard @ 9am needless to say, we're not goin out to "play" today nor are we goin to the wednesday night car show downtown

It's TDH! Too Damn HOT!

possible thunderstorms forecast fer this afternoon here's HOPING we GIT

 

onea my favorites from the past -- check the background "photobomb" action @ the dogpark
you kin jist SEE the littl female sayin "I TOLD you NO -- NO means NO!"

 

Had a query recently from a producer on the Mike Rowe show askin if he could do a "ridealong" w me?

My "witch" and I talked it over and agreed that the risk was too great for *me* that sumthin untoward might happen as whenever i've *done* ridealongs w jounalists & photographers it's always been MUCH more stressfull watchin out fer *them* as well as myself - and a "chase" car followin complicates my efforts to manuver safely.

Also, Shela would be displaced and "She" isn't going to be around much longer so every "ride" we have togeather is precious!

So -- I regretfully declined their askance --

 

I was at the Todd Harding swap meet on labor day. Got there around 9am and didn't leave until about 1pm. I guess we just missed meeting each other. Maybe next time.

 

got a call today [ early this mornin ] from the fella who's gonna make Beulah's wirin ALL new and workin agin -- He's READY for her -- She goes in tomorrow - he's *said* 2 weeks *I'm* bettin 4 to FIVE at least I don't think he knows what he's let himself IN for! BUT, I'm excited that HE's excited about DOIN it! here's hopin fer the best -- for both of us AND Beulah!

Spent the whole day - AFter a mornin dental visit, emptyin her out of all her gear agin to ease his access -- my pool table's covered agin -- got her RF power windah workin so's Shela kin RIDE in her agin when she comes back

[ a fella that was supposed to come by last week to have at it didn't show and didn't call ]

*I* DID so by swappin out the motor from the RR door window - after first checking to make shure it wasn't just a defective window switch - - Dropped the motor off to *hopefully* be repaired, on the way to the dentist this mornin -- HEAT's finally breakin here and we're likely to git some RAIN tomorrow -- YEAH!

 

GOT RAIN today -- thankfully, AFTER delivern Beulah to the wiring specialist where she's under cover for her renovation -- took a couple of hours to show him as much of the oddities and multiple functions of the beast as I could -- I'll be expectin to git a number of calls -- "what is-was this switch supposed to do?" [ she's complicated ]

 

BAD news on my power window motor just learned it's not repairable

any body here GOT an extre they'd consider lettin me have for Beulah?

56 Ford [ 12v ]
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GOOD NEWS WAY GOOD NEWS!

feelin BLESSED right now!

2 days ago, i sent an e-mail to larrystbird.com bout my Beulah's burnt out winda motor

howdy pardner,

GLAD to see you have new power window motors FOR 56 Fords!

My Beulah NEEDS one

if I may be so bold as to ask --

MIGHT you folks consider donatin one to help make Beulah whole agin for my last of fifty years helpin others "On The Road"?

She's bein completely rewired at this time fo rme and I'm lookin forward to havin her BACK and fully operational for 2016 [ my fiftyith year ]

Hopefully my Shela, will still BE with me as well [ "She" is 15yo ]

if you'd liketa see who I am and what I do just type in San Diego Highwayman to yer search bar

I'd be mighty excited to hear positively from ya

GOOD ONya


Tom Weller
619-442-3767
[email protected]
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yesterday aftrenoon, I got a call from a fella @ the company who said that they WERE going to send me one

they DID!

GOT it this afternoon!

all I kin say is WOW! THANKEE KINDLY!!!!
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Yesterday mornin, I'd dropped by Paul's place on the way to goin out to "Play on the Freeway" some -- [ made 5 "rescues" yesterday ] and he had the spedo head out of Beulah already [ major job because of the spagitti of wirin under the dash ] and he's STILL enthuseiastic bout doin her here's hopin his enthusiam lasts

 

Judge each day not by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant

 

This IS my out "Playing on the freeway" video music score! In my mind's eye, I can "see" pullin outta the garage -- headin out w Shela & I scannin the road ahead for folks stranded -- findin em -- helpin em -- and them drivin off smilin & wavin several times thru the score, then, at the end, turnin into our home driveway as the sun sets, pullin into the garage -- Shela and I comin out as the door closes -- and, w the final notes at the end -- "She" and I [ *both* of us old "Road Dogs" ] are asleep on rockin chairs on the front porch dreamin -- http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/e...-paying-it-forward-helping-stranded-motorists

 

Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind

https://teresaelectra.wordpress.com/2015/01/13/in-gratitude-for-anecdotes-1/

 

San Diego Highwaymanto‎San Diego Highwayman
September 25 at 3:44pm·Edited·
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 childern, 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



got a rather looooong Karma story here -- that inCLUDES somea them popsicles given over the years ----------smile emoticon------------------------------ 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!

[ My reply ]

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 --

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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 --

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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 looks at me, astonished and 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


** a side note here -- JYK [ Junk Yard Kid ] here on the HAMB has been kind enuf to obtain, and supply me with, some donut spares w a 4 on 4&1/2" bolt pattern - [ I HAVE a LOT of 4 on 4" ] that I've utilized since to help several folks in need -- James, if you see this, I have just one left of the 4 on 4&1/2

 

Beulah's "reincarnation" continuing --

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10203535787513740&set=pcb.1657241227852089&type=3&theater

 

today

 

oh the JOY of bein a highwayman!





how's a fella gonna git anything done?

 

this mornin if you look to the left side NB shoulder, 1:15 to 1:21 you kin see what I saw as I was headed back to the ranch from the Santee swap meet -- I went "around" and headed back, and the young fella was shure glad I did smile emoticon SO was I --


LF wheel was hanging on by JUST ONE lugnut !

Young fella had actually SEEN the others comin off in his rear view as he went to the side on feelin a problem --

Stopped JUST in time he did!

a coupla more revolutions and the wheel-tire woulda come off and considerable damage woulda resulted!

I was able to remove one lug nut from each of the other wheels -- tightining ALL others as well [ they were ALL "loose"! ] young fella had done EVERYTHING RIGHT with this beautifull car including "torqueing" the lug nuts BUT -- *I* personally, from LOOOOOONG experience -- always tighten lug nuts by FEEL, and in a "star" pattern

and, since the studs had not suffered damage, we were able to REinstall his LF and send him on his UNdamaged way

BEAUTIFULL!

 

bout them popsicles

I normally cease givin em out the first of October to be able to afford to start gittin Halloween candy -- all these things cost $ and have to be budgeted -- we typically have swarms of kids on Halloween as we have a notably spooky "ranch" that night -- one year we had nigh onta 500 kids ! [ we count the candy and each kid gits one piece ] there's witches and spooks and flyin bats a flyin banshee that "speaks" to individuals and stops em dead in their tracks -- a boilin cauldron full of hissing red fire and acrid smoke that waxes and wanes with a "crystal ball" witch that appears and dissappears in the red smokewhile she "welcomes" the kiddys a BIG spider that drops from a tree and terroizes kids AND adults as they walk into its "webs" [ hundreds of black threads hangin from tree branches they pass under ] kids who have come here with their parents are bringin *their* kids now

*this* year it's been HOT [ right up to last week ] so kids were *hopin* fer popsicles and stoppin by to ask -- hadta tell em why

this one fine young fella apparently thought it over and did THIS!
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com...jon-man-highway-rescue-popsicles-kids-school/