My current and only vehicle is a white truck, a 1999 Ford F-250 Lariat, 4 wheel drive, 7.3 liter diesel. It is one of the best engines ever put into a Ford. I have added a few after-market improvements like a hard plastic tonneau cover over the 8 foot long bed, and an upgraded radio so that my phone connects. It has a compact rear seat that folds down for two cages where my cats, Holly and Stalker comfortably ride.
This would be my 4th cross-continent drive with this set up. I left at 7 AM on New Years Day because I saw it as a light travel day and it was. It seemed rather special that my mileage, as I left my worried sister in the predawn light, was 234,567. Temperature was above freezing. No weather concerns in sight. It was just another enjoyable trip! I didn't look forward to the total cost of the fuel I would be purchasing. Inflation had certainly hit diesel prices very hard, much harder than regular gas. In fact at one station diesel was exactly $2 more per gallon than regular gas. I shake my head.
Across western New York State I traveled, where the week before the Buffalo area had seen historic 4 foot snowfalls. Only shrinking snowdrifts remained. I passed through the corner of Pennsylvania near Lake Erie. I had lived in northern Pennsylvania for 10 years, beginning in the late 1970's. It is a beautiful, mountainous state! I headed away from the Great Lakes plain after Cleveland. Ohio is a large state so it was nearly dark as I eventually passed Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati in southern Ohio. The lights were all on but I realized the football game would be held the following night, when my Buffalo Bills would visit the Cincinnati Bengals in a game which would be cut short by a near cardiac death right on the field.
At night I reduce my speed, especially through the rural areas of Kentucky and Tennessee. I took my short naps as needed and snacked from my ice chest. Eventually the sky lightened and a new day arrived as I drove across the Mississippi River at Memphis and into Arkansas. Every state has natural beauty. But every time I travel through Arkansas, I am reminded that their nickname "The Natural State" is not exaggeration. It has an outstanding, natural landscape. And Hot Springs!
Last February I had a careful drive along Interstate 30 from Dallas to Texarkana due to an ice storm. But 10 months later, going in reverse direction, the road was dry, the weather fairly warm. I managed through the Dallas metro area without too much traffic since January 2nd was the official "Holiday" for New Years since the first was on a Sunday. A lovely long weekend for most people.
Then as I came near Fort Worth, I thought I heard a grinding noise coming from my front right tire or wheel. I pulled off the highway into a shopping center. Something was very amiss. Things proceeded to deteriorate after that.
To be continued...
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