National y2k Planning

Hurricane Floyd attempted to mess up the well laid plans of Clyde Watson and Guy Young.   He failed.  I took Friday off to do some morning work around the house before heading out to Buena Vista (locals pronounce it Buuna Vista) and Maury Park Campground.   I got there around 2pm after swinging out I-70 and down I-81 out of Hagerstown to get my free Va map.  I was joined shortly thereafter by John Lippy, Russell Fleming, and the Tom Somerses.  John Hinton (with the CSV in tow, stocked with some most-tastey home brew) arrived well before dark.  We anxiously awaited out fearless leader so we could go get "the best damn cheeseburgers in the state".  We collectively agreed to wait until 7pm and then leave without him.

At 6:50 or so, we hear a Connie's whirr and a crunchy, clunking noise.  Lippy piped up "That doesn't sound good."  As we see the Conc now, Tom IV says "Geez, I hope that's just a stick caught in the rotor or something."   Realizing it's Bugslayer, the general, "Never heard THAT noise from a Connie before" rose from the stunned onlookers.  Horskster rolls to a stop "It never made that noise before."  "How long has it been making that noise?"  "Last fifty miles or so, sounds worse at slow speeds."  "Well, Guy's not here yet just yet, let's have a look at it."

Quickly, an area of the pavillion is cleared of picnic tables and Bugslayer is up on some scrap lumber- yup you guessed it, Horkster lunched the stock front wheel bearings just short of 21k. So, here we are in Maury Park with a Conc that has bad bearings, no workbench and "questionable" tools for the job ahead; Guy is en route and we know he's got spares and tools.  But, and it's a big but, we don't know when he's going to get there or if he's carrying the bearings for a post 94 Conc.

The Collective decides to pull the wheel and get to an autoparts store before they close; at worst we figure, the bearings can be had in the morning and Horkster will be back on the road.  Toolkits and cellphones appear out of nowhere as we banish Horkster to set up his tent before it gets dark.   The front wheel is off on a "workbench" and the bad bearing is out in less than 10 minutes.  This was performed without circlip pliers, drifts or the other "appropriate tools to remove the bearings properly."   Calls to the local parts store reveals, yes they have the right one, but they closed at 7; damn!.  However, their Lexington store is open 'til 9.  A quick call to them and, yes, they have wheel bearings but aren't sure if their the correct ones.  So, three volunteers headed to Lexington, bad bearings in hand to hopefully make a match.  Horkster decides now's as good a time as any to take care of some of that routine maintenance he's been putting off- head bearing adjustment, etc.  Guy arrives just before the parts runners return; yes, he's got the post 94 bearings.  He figures the "mechanics" have the matter well in hand and decides to sets up his tent in the dark.

The bearings are back in place and the wheel is back on Bugslayer and we head to dinner at nine - just over 2 hours to service the wheel bearings in field without the bearings in hand or the "correct" tools. 

This event proves it yet again, that this can be done almost anywhere and some of the best people on Earth are COGgers.  Also re-affirms that bearings should be changed with tires - real cheap insurance.

As the fog has settled in Buena Vista, 14 or so of the Collective gather at the Green Forest for the "Best Damn Pancakes in the State."   Clyde had planned for several different routes to be explored.  The Balt-DC Platoon of Security Squad selected one route to document;  we blew off the first 20 miles or so (oops) trying to "trick" it up a little.  Guy, John H (minus the CSV), and Tom III  were dispatched to find a palace appropriate for our gathering.   Several unlucky souls got sent to "Re-Discover the Northwest Passage" route.   They proved the theory that the roads of southwestern Virginia and Maine are connected through "quantum filament subspace".

The Balt-DC Platoon approved the route with a few modifications.  Do not click here to see some pics of this potential y2k route.

Grape Nehi joined us; my, it is noticably shorter than the standard Conc.  After gathering back at the Green Forest again for dinner and general mirth and merriment over the potential routes, the Collective went back to the campground.  As we had no wheel bearings to replace tonight, the gathering decided to consume some of John's home brew and generate some general BS.