1958 F.W.D.

I'm currently downloading the 400+ pics that I took yesterday and today onto photobucket. At the speed the computer is going, it will prolly take half the night, I'm just gonna let it run and go to bed. As soon as it's done I will post the link here so that whoever didnt make the show can enjoy.

Hmmmmmm whats worse- driving a red oval or something with a green leaker? Or better yet- a red oval with a green leaker....?????

So did Vinny ever appear??? And guys I have to apologize, especially to DCR.....I totally forgot about 2:00 and by the time I remembered, "Small" was sound asleep- after an especially grumpy few hours, and he desperately needed to sleep for an hour or two, and woes everyone if he gets woken up, so I let him sleep. It was great to see everyone!!!! I just dropped Vlad and Ilya off at the hotel, they seemed to be in "sensational overload." LOL We're going to see a private truck collection tomorrow in Jersey somewhere, then getting his rental car, and then we're going to relax at my house the rest of the day and Imma gonna make em one of my firehouse specialties- spaghetti & hand made meatballs for dinner.

We're being invaded by Russians.....And the Dutch!!!! Vlad and his son Ilya (12) are here!!! Picked them up at the bus stop tonight and got them to their hotel in Allentown, then we went to dinner at the TK as promised. Farmer52 joined us. We got to the TK and Doug Maney and a bunch of other folks were there (including a bunch of Lads from the Netherlands.....) We went to the TK for the food, honestly. Here are a couple of pix of Ilya with some of his new American friends.

Maybe I should have parked the FWD out there today, it DOES need a wash and wipe down.......

I just got off the phone with Farmer52, he's checking into his hotel and then going to run down there and check the scene out. I suspect Doug Maney and other members of ATCA are there and assessing the situation. FWIW, I live about 20 miles from Macungie. It has rained about 5-10 inches of rain over the last week and a half or so- with more to come this afternoon (they are saying 1-3" total today.....) so you can imagine that the ground is super saturated. It might look dry on the surface by Friday afternoon but I suspect under the surface it's a quagmire. But then again I am not a geotechnical engineer by any definition of the word- it could be very well draining soil for all I know. I do know that Friday is supposed to be nice weather, and Saturday is supposed to be downright gorgeous, so take it for what its worth.. PS- if anyone gets stuck and you have adequate chain I will of course assist with the FWD Tow-Firetruck.

Maybe at the Mack factory- they have a big lot/driveway, I have seen rigs parked there before during the show. There are also a lot of industrial places on 100, north of the show between Macungie and 78.....????? Gotta be someplace?

Mud does not concern FWD drivers..........

Ok folks just talked to Vlad...... He will arrive in the Allentown Pa. area sometime early thurs evening, around 5:00 "ish." I will be picking him up at the Hellertown Pa. Park and Ride/Bus Stop. I hope to be waiting for him so that he does not get stranded in the rain. I will run him to his hotel in Allentown, and let him chill out for a while. I anticipate meeting at the TK about 7:30 "ish" on Thursday. If anyone is interested, come on out to the Tilted Kilt/Allentown located on Lehigh Street at I-78 (same exit at the Mack Museum/Customer Service Center, except go in the opposite direction, it's not even 1/4 mile from 78 on the left hand side.....)

Ken I can't tell you about the fields- Doug Maney would be the one to comment on that. If needed I could pick you up at Fogelsville if you dont mind squeezing into the back of my extended cab Silverado. Or maybe I can convince the wife to let me use her van- IF she cleans it out.....HA!

I'll play!!! I'll make my name "Dr. Detroit."

CORRECT. HAMMER DOWN!

To add onto what Carl said: Macungie appears to be on the extreme NW edge of the "shit zone" that has been cast upon Southeastern Pennsylvania by the Weather Gurus. Water Armageddon is predicted- anywhere from 3-5" of rain is supposed to fall throughout the day Thurs with a good portion coming thurs afternoon during rush hour. Use Caution. And of course the obvious- the fields at Macungie will probably be quagmires......however as Carl said its supposed to be nice (actually gorgeous on Saturday) the whole weekend.

THURSDAY EVENING: There is a **TENTATIVE** in-formal gathering of some of the usual gang of idiots guys including Vlad and his son, at the TILTED KILT Allentown Pa. which is on Lehigh Street, just off of I-78. Use the Lehigh Street exit, same exit as the Mack Museum and Customer Service Center, except go in the opposite direction from the museum. It's only about 1/4 mile if that from 78. Myself, my wife, Farmer52, Frfxfyrmn, Vlad and his son are all gonna be there, time to be determined. Remember this is just tentative at this time- but if anyone sees this, and you are in the area you are of course more than welcome to come out. I will post the final determination (yes we are and at what time) on here as soon as I know, which I hope to be tonight or tomorrow sometime- have to wait for Vlad to call me when he buys a pre-paid phone.

Better be safe than sorry, wouldnt want to be an hour+ away from home and have something go bad on you. My worst fear is the tires after having sat for so long......Especially if they were retreads. I would stick to local driving for a while until you get that thing "re-broken in" and get used to her nuances and mood swings. (the truck, not the woman.....)

And the damn time difference makes me upset. Jet Lag???

Ken dont know about the height of the wash place- Carl wont have any problems. As for fuel, I dont know about Turkey Hill, but you should be able to get into the Wawa without a problem. As for the Nun candidates, yer on your own!!!! Also, private message me your cell phone number so we can coordinate dinner on Thursday Night!!!

Carl if you were to ask the firehouse to use their hose on your toy I'd be surprised if they said no, (but maybe they might say no so as not to set a precident......) however there is a do-it-yourself car wash north on 100, on the left hand side, IIRC its right out in front of the Mack Plant towards the north end, where the school buses are???????

VLAD!!!! I got your voicemail, I am sorry I did not answer, I did not even hear the phone ring. I will wait for your call tomorrow when you can buy a local pre-paid phone!!!!

I yanked a few folks out from mud bogs that day, so did the guy with that huge Walters and the radial aircraft engine on the back, and also that guy with the GMC Heavy Wrecker........

I say we pimp out Ken's trailer: 12-person hot tub up in the nose, mahogany bar, pool table, disco ball with a deluxe sound system, and plush sofas along the walls, and OD brings the Women of Winfall.

I see what Freightrain is saying. My parents were never the healthiest people- Dad of course was an owner operator through the late 60's, 70's and 80's- eating unhealthy truckstop food and sitting relatively inactive in a drivers seat for hours on end....during a period of time when physical fitness and watching what you ate just was not a concern. So yes, bad habits certainly passed down the line. I remember Dad taking me to McDonalds every saturday morning for breakfast- it was "our" thing to do. I would ask for a second egg mcmuffin and he would buy it for me- when he should have said "No why dont you pass on that." Up to the time I was 17 or 18, he weighed as much as I did when I was my heaviest- about 385. Thats when he had a heart attack and it scared the piss out of him enough that he lost 100+ pounds through diet and excercise. One of the things that made me decide to have the operation was remembering when he had his heart attack- I figured I was headed down the same road, only I might not be as lucky and could very well become dandylion fertilizer, so I said "yeah better pre-emptively strike." Whenever my own kids make poor decisions or ask for more food- I say "do you want to become fat like Daddy used to be?" And when they say no, I say "Good- now run outside and kick the soccer ball around for an hour." Nowadays, with all the education thats out there readily available to anyone and everyone- anyone who allows their children to become morbidly obese (nevermind severly overweight) is an asshole in my mind.

What the HELL is that?

DOUG: make sure I get your cell phone number and when I get Vlad to the show on Friday I will call you and we can all hook up to meet. I'll be picking him and his son up at their hotel in Allentown in the FWD on Friday and taking them to the show and to the family barbeque. I will also be getting them to the show on Saturday as well.

TK is located in Allentown, just off I-78 at the Lehigh Street exit- same exit for the Mack Museum and Queen City Airport. As-the-crow-flies mileage from the show....I would say 10-15 miles at least. Vlad and his son will arrive in the area on Thursday afternoon, he has a hotel in Allentown, we have tentative plans to get together when I get home from work on Thurs, and also tentative plans for me to pick them up and get them to the show on Friday. So yes a Thursday evening meet at the TK may be in order- his 12 year old son's eyes will be big from his first trip to America, we may as well pollute them with visions from the TK show the young man the meaning of capitalism and the young ladies working their way through nun school.