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Firetruck's Little Trip

4K views 49 replies 16 participants last post by  nj6969 
#1 ·
Day 1... A week ago Friday, we left out of Cincinnati with @RunFaster and @MicDonna in tow (albeit without their beautiful R's) for a little trip. Warner Robins here we come! Upon checking into the same hotel as last year's rally, we made our way over to @CruDawg's palatial estate. I just wanted a pitching wedge to use in his front yard.... Nice!
We made our way out for steaks at Alex and Tina's favorite place. Bacon wrapped yumminess! Lots of great conversation and catching up and leaving a roll for part of the tip! The waiter gave as good as he took! We wowed the manager with a convertible top demonstration and then back to Crudawg's for a surprise birthday cake for my beautiful wife. However it is in my contract to not reveal how many candles were used (and also not in the best interest of my personal health)!
You see, this little trip started as a birthday gift for Lori as her birthday falls near Christmas, but then I kind of hijacked it into an SSR thing, but more on that later. Come to think of it, I probably still owe her another gift.
Stay tuned as I break this trip up into segments....
 

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#12 ·
This is weird, the first set of 5 pictures wouldn't open until I opened each one in a seperate tab. All the pictures in the three posts after that were no problem.:banghead


That might not be best, most studies say she won't peak for two to five more years.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Day 2... Saturday began with a trip over to @Dragon2U. Yep, you guessed it... Stepper motors. But let me back up a step....

Like I said, I hijacked Lori's birthday trip. So each year I take Lori on an out of town concert trip for her birthday. Last year we saw Brad Paisley in Chicago and upon looking for this year, I was looking at Chicago again. Lori said somewhere warmer please! She said "Let's go visit Alex and Tina!" The idea was cemented when we found Hootie and the Blowfish playing in Atlanta. I contacted Crudawg about joining us then the idea really got rolling. I was speaking with @Lightshow and they decided to join us. Now Mike's commitment to the Eric Peters situation and the benefit for his family superceded his availability for our little get together but for a very good cause. So congrats Mike and Deb for your efforts and we'll catch you next time. Now back to your regularly scheduled program....

So Saturday morning, Mic, Jim and I headed to Mike's for stepper repair. While in surgery, we were able to install new white guage face plates the I had ordered as well. On a side note, don't forget new needles if they don't work with a new color face. Now Mike saved the day with a little orange paint and all is well. So thanks to Mike, the Firetruck can now be monitored correctly for all it's vital signs.

So repair complete, back to the hotel for check out and pick up it ladies. Mic, Donna, Jim and Linda headed for Atlanta and the Saturday evening hotel. Lori and I headed to Alex and Tina's to gather them up and get my Warner Robbins firehouse photo. I get the Firetruck photographed with a real firetruck in every city we travel as a memory of our trip. (It'll be a nice photo album someday). So now off to Atlanta!

Now the group for the concert consists of Firetruck, RunFaster, MicDonna, Crudawg and @TruckingeeSSR. Now Mike and Kay were having dinner with Alex and Tina and heard about the concert plans and ordered their tickets before leaving the dinner table! She's a huge fan! So off to the show, it's crazy parking and even crazier seating area. Lawn seats... Where you never know if your in the path of bathroom breaks or beverage runs or in our case....Both! The show was fantastic with Bare Naked Ladies as the opening act and Hootie tearing the stage up!

Show over, back to hotel (one of us took the faster route... Just saying Mic...) Now off for some much needed rest..... Stay tuned!
 

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#17 ·
Pictures would not open for me. Just black circle thing forever.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Try these ones from Firetruck's original post. Took a number of download/reloads but hopefully these work.

Nice work Firetruck! :thumbs

BTW, I see folks recommending removing the passenger airbag to improve the dash R&R experience. Then I see others saying there's no need to do that and to just Dremel the edges of the dash around the airbag opening before reinstalling it. Obviously they didn't pull Firetruck's airbag and he's smiling. Is there any consensus?
 

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#32 ·
When I took mine apart, I put Dawn dish soap around it and no problems taking apart or reinstalling it. Things work better when they are well lubricated. LOL
Well, I'm never one to do unnecessary work, so I may give it a go without the passenger airbagectomy. ;) I've also read and heard that it's a bit easier if the dash is warmed up, as in, leave it out in the sun for a while. We're supposed to have a couple of hot (for us anyway), sunny days this week.

I also was wondering about the safety of the airbag once it's removed and replaced as almost everyone says that the two top bolts should be left out because they're so difficult to get at. Will the airbag still deploy normally? Asking for a friend. ;)

So watch my six, I'ma goin' in! :smash

Enough of that, sorry for hijacking your thread Firetruck. Carry on! :)
 
#28 ·
Day 3....(I hope today's pictures work better) Sunday begins with our last group meal together and then RunFaster and MicDonna headed for home. I heard MicDonna tried Cincinnati style chili on the way through... And it was good! So part 2 of our trip begins with Crudawg leading the way out of Atlanta for the scenic route to our final destination of Gatlinburg. We had time to burn so we planned a route to see Tallulah falls in North Georgia. Our first stop was a lookout on one side of the gorge near where one of the famous Wallendas walked across back in 1970. We then drove to the other side and the main viewing area for a little lite hiking... Or so we thought. From the rim, you could see a suspension bridge near the bottom over the water and we found out it was ONLY 310 stairs to the bottom. The ladies bring very intelligent waited while Alex and I tackled the down portion with gusto, laughing and joking all the way to the bottom. We then realized there was no escalator back to the top... Forgot to read the fine print I guess. So 310 back up as well! We managed, not quite as talkative on the way back up but enjoyed ourselves nonetheless. Now back on the road...

Our travels took us into Cherokee with a little detour into Maggie Valley. We got our customary picture in front of Gina's motel then BBQ at Butts on the Creek! I hear the peach cobbler is fantastic. We then jumped over to a local micro brewery and as I walk outside to hear the singer on the porch... He starts playing a song about leaving Cincinnati for the Kentucky/Tennessee border! Strange! Micro brews in hand, we head for our final destination.

Cabins are awesome! Thank you Tina for suggesting the upgrade. We check in, rock,paper, scissors for the bedrooms then it's off to dinner. Some great seafood at Harpoon Harry's followed by the first of several rounds of high stakes putt putt. You see, much talk was made beforehand about someone's prowess on the afore mentioned putt putt course. We will let the the record stand for itself. A tie...a big fat tie. But that is not the end of it.

Until tomorrow then..... (Pictures to follow)
 
#34 · (Edited)
Micro brews in hand, we head for our final destination.
In hand? Closed containers I hope.

I also noticed that the air bag was left in. I know trimming the dash on the one drive. But, I would like to know, what were the instructions @Dragon2U gave jarod.
This has not been discussed and I worry about trimming too much.
Can't trim too much for function, only cosmetic. The opening in the dash has a recessed flange that tucks behind the fascia of the airbag assembly. Trimming that flange a bit makes it easier to get the dash face on and off without removing the airbag assembly. It won't affect the bag operation either way.
Unfortunately I had the radio replaced under warranty long ago and far away, but the dealer used the Hulk method to pull the dash over the airbag and bent the airbag assembly fascia so it doesn't sit exactly flush. I've pulled the dash a couple times without much trouble, a little care, a little lube, and all's right with the world.
Oh, and turn the airbag off just in case, the keyhole is above the rearview mirror on the windshield header.

I lied, the warning sign that lights up with the bag turned off is up on the header, the keyhole to turn it off is in the glove compartment.
 
#38 ·
Day 4.... Monday. Downtown Gatlinburg is the destination. Drove in and parked near the center of town and began drinki...I mean shopping. Ok, maybe both! One of the first stops was taste testing at Ole Smoky Moonshine. The servers weren't even old enough to drink themselves! More stores than you can shake a stick at. It's really interesting though, looking up in the hillsides and seeing how close the fire a few years ago got to the town.
A late lunch at Loco Burro with the mechanical bucking Burro and some awesome bar stools.

Next stop... The chairlift up to the 680 ft swinging bridge! 150 ft off the ground with clear glass panels in the middle! Very cool! Many jokes were made about too many people on the bridge at once and why were those bolts able to be turned by hand! Alex and I got more than one odd look! (Bonus points to those that can find our parking spot in the picture from the top... Everyone get their readers on!)

After the bridge, two rounds of putt putt (Keep practicing Alex) and then a late dinner at IHOP. Off to the cabin and another day in the books.

Till next time.....
 
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