So, I bought a truck, picked it up in the winter, and locked myself out of it................

[mr. cob]

Howdy All,

Some of you folks have been following my thread concerning finding and going to get my new RV Hauler, it is detailed here,

http://www.rvnetwork.com/topic/129866-well-i-bought-the-plane-ticket-next-week-ill-know-if-i-buy-a-truck/

For those who have followed the saga and for the entertainment of those who haven't allow me to tell you about the last day of the drive home.  After buying the truck in Minnesota, I worked with Rick of Comfort Ride Hitch, and Dana a local fabricator in Stroughton Wisconsin, to have the commercial hitch mostly removed to be held in place with only a couple of bolts and to have the Comfort Ride Hitch installed.  I left the commercial hitch in place with only a couple of bolts so I would have some weight over the axles.

I arrived at Dana's shop early Monday morning, December 18th, I left from the shop about 4:45PM late afternoon on the 19th, spent that night at a truck stop in Sioux Falls South Dakota. The roads were good I made good time, set the cruise on 70mph and let that big yeller kitty under the hood PURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.  Left from Sioux Falls about 7:AM and headed west made it to Billings Montana about 10:PM, the last hundred miles or so were kinda dicey, blowing snow and icy roads, but nothing really out of the ordinary for that time of year crossing the northeastern corner of Wyoming.

Pulling into Billings the night of the 20th it was COLD about 6 degrees, roads slicker then snot on a rake handle had to be VERY careful maneuvering in the truck stop so as not to slide into anything.  Grabbed some chow and hit the hay.  The morning of the 21st dawned COLDER then the night before, the truck lot and the roads were nothing but glare ICE it was hard to keep from falling walking to the restaurant for breakfast.  Everyone was talking about I-90 west bound being temporarily closed as they cleared a capsized semi about 40 miles west so I saw no hurry and ate a leisurely breakfast.  A little past history will help put what follows into perspective, for many years especially in my oft times misspent youth I was fascinated with and played with HORSEPOWER as a circle track and drag strip racer, as such I learned how to apply throttle and counter-steering in order to go where I wanted to go rather then let to much power take me where I didn't.

And so about 8:AM on the morning of the 21st, I left Billings Montana and headed west on I-90.  To say the roads were slick is an understatement, it was more like polished glass covered with grease.  A smart person may well have stayed a few days hoping for better weather but the forecast called for it getting worse so I set out being extremely slow and deliberate in all my actions.  People who should know better drove by at speeds that I thought were crazy, in some cases they were as they careened off into the ditch when trying to slow down or change lanes, I swear in the first 200 miles of that days drive I passed at least 10 trucks and 20 or more cars in the ditch.  I had the flashers on and was creeping along at about 15-20mph slow enough I hoped to be able to stop or at least go very slowly to the side of the road and not into the ditch if all went bad.  This is the first time I had driven an unladen HDT in such conditions, with no weight to speak of over the rear axles the truck would fishtail every time it shifted no matter how careful I was.  But what really got my attention was when going over a curved a bridge that spanned another road, the bridge had a very heavy crown on it, you could see the angle of the roadway as you approached it.  I knew this was going to be fun, oh yeah, so I stayed to the high side of the road and eased across, all was going well until the rear of the truck started to ever so slowly slide down the crown of the road I knew this would not end well so the old dirt track racer took over and I counter-steered and gently applied throttle causing the truck to gradually get back on track, sometimes old anti social skills come in handy.  And so the next couple of hundred miles went.

The road got better, the sun shined, life was really good.  I was making really good time, Montana was now behind me I was crossing the pan handle of Idaho, I crested Look Out Pass, the last big Pass in Idaho was 4th of July and I knew it to be an easy one.  I crested 4th of July Pass just as it was getting dark on the way down I had a very hard time seeing as my headlights were so filthy.  Places to safely pull over are darn few and a long ways in between in that part of the country but I had to pull over as I simply couldn't see the road.  I finally found a chain up chain removal area, grabbed my paper towels and glass cleaner, wearing only a light tee shirt as an upper garment I hoped outside in the 11 degree weather to clean the headlights.  It wasn't until I tried to get back in the truck that I realized I had somehow locked myself OUT of the truck.  So here I am, standing out side in the cold trying to figure out which window to break so I could get back inside, then it hit me.  Why not open the under bunk storage access door on the side of the sleeper, and gain access that way.  LUCKILY for me, the side storage doors were not locked as the key to them had been lost by the previous owner.  I opened the door on the passenger side only to find there was no way in heck my nearly 70 year old body was going to jump and dive through the little hole.  So I took the chains and the still in the box microwave out of the storage area, built a base with the chains in the snow, put the microwave box on top of the chains and managed to crawl into the storage compartment, lift up the bunk and get inside the truck.

After making DARN SURE I had the spare truck key in my pants pocket I went back outside, loaded the microwave and chains back into the storage area, closed the storage door, got back in the truck and headed west.  I reached Spokane Washington about 7:15PM, my original plan was to spend the night in Spokane and head for home the next day.  However, I wasn't tired, the roads were in excellent condition so I called Donna and told her I was heading for home that I should arrive between midnight and 1:AM.  And so at midnight after a days drive of 853 miles when I parked the Pete in the driveway this tale of acquiring a new truck came to an end. 

A few things I have learned from this adventure, your never to old to put long neglected skills to use, you really should consider going to pick up a new truck in the summer, and to make damned sure you have a spare key on your person or someplace where its easy to locate in case you need it.  The end, or rather the beginning of yet another tall tale to be shared around the camp fire for years to come.

Dave

[DanBree]

Glad you got home semi-safely.  You'll need to teach us young bucks your mad driving skills sometime.

[GlennWest]

I raced and owned dirt track cars in my youth. One does pick up skills doing this. I can relate.

[Hewhoknowslittle]

I am so happy you got your new truck, got home safely, and as Alan knows, keep that spare key close, my 359 would lock me out several times a week for no reason, no power locks just hated me I guess.

Peterbilt worked on the drivers door several times, and gave up, my dealer gave me extra keys, always had one under the hood, and under the bunk, and yes one in my pocket.

Roger 

[hone eagle]

never go north without long underwear

[Imurphy907]

One downfall to the Volvo is the boxes have to be opened from the inside... I learned along time ago that rolling down the window is a good idea unless you have a key in your pocket.

[ewacowboy]

Welcome home Dave....was waiting for a call when you came through to spend the night .  Can't wait to see the new toy.  Maybe Moab this spring or WCR.

[GlennWest]

53 minutes ago, hone eagle said:

never go north without long underwear

I have to go up North occasionally to work. I have learned never to buy clothes down south and expect to be warm up north. Not the same clothes

[GlennWest]

49 minutes ago, Imurphy907 said:

One downfall to the Volvo is the boxes have to be opened from the inside... I learned along time ago that rolling down the window is a good idea unless you have a key in your pocket.

My Freightshaker same.

[Chad Heiser]

Excellent story.  Looking forward to seeing how the truck progresses.

[mr. cob]

Howdy All,

Here's the truck in all its filthy glory after 2,000 miles of winter grunge.

 

Here's the new Comfort Ride Hitch installed, now in a few months when the weather gets semi decent I can start to build the Smart Car bed.

 

Dave

[NoDirectionHome]

You soon learn remote northern travel deserves a full compliment survival kit to include a 0 degree sleeping bag energy bars, water, etc.  For those rare breakdowns or ditch nights, they can be the difference between life and death.

[HERO Maker]

Great Story!!!  Glad you are home safe.

[rickeieio]

56 minutes ago, mr. cob said:

now in a few months when the weather gets semi decent 

So, the name of this new-to-you truck may be "Semi Decent"?

[jkoenig24]

Thanks for sharing this tale. I much prefer to learn from other's mistakes rather than making them myself. I'm glad you got your new ride home safely! 

[Brad & Jacolyn]

Glad to hear you got home safely Dave. What an adventure. I would have paid for a ticket to see you crawling through the storage box and opening that bunk from underneath. I can think of a couple of chubby guys we know that could not have got through the side door. Did you figure out why the doors locked on you? Sounds like extra keys in an unlocked hiding place in your future. 

 

Brad

[Moresmoke]

I drove part time for an outfit that had Petes. Every one had a spare key tucked in that big wire harness that comes down the firewall on the LH side.

Just be glad you weren't trying those fancy driving maneuvers and fighting traction control. Nothing like trying to make the top of a steep grade in deep snow, and having the computer cut power to reduce wheel slip.

[mr. cob]

Howdy Brad

I have a habit of locking the door when I leave so there is a good chance I did this to myself 

I have a spare key it was in my jacket pocket which of course was in the truck 

On my Freightliner the under bunk storage area is sealed off there is no door on the passenger side the one on the driver side opens to a small compartment used to store a few small items 

So being able to crawl into the Peterbilt was pure luck from now on when ever I am in either truck I am going to be wearing a spare key on a cord around my neck 

However should I forget where I left my head I will still be in trouble 

Dave

[HERO Maker]

Well Dave, around your neck is fine, but you can easily put it in your pants pocket right?  As long as you aren't driving around without your shirt AND pants!!!!  You should be safe,

[mr. cob]

22 minutes ago, HERO Maker said:

Well Dave, around your neck is fine, but you can easily put it in your pants pocket right?  As long as you aren't driving around without your shirt AND pants!!!!  You should be safe,

Howdy Rocky,

I can't afford pants that don't have holes in the pockets, I just bought a Peterbilt. Now I have to save money for chicken lights and chrome.

Dave

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

2 hours ago, rickeieio said:

So, the name of this new-to-you truck may be "Semi Decent"?

I vote for "In-Sane".  He was Semi-Sane with a Freightliner.... Going to a Pete has got to be "In"sane!

 

[mr. cob]

Howdy All 

I haven’t given to much thought to naming the new truck but am leaning towards 

Semi-Sane II

the last part would be the Roman number 2

Semi-Sane just kinda fits my personality and outlook in so many ways whatever I decide on it will be done in a type of script that looks good as befits such a noble machine 

I would call it Lucile as something that good looking just has to be named Lucile, a famous line from the movie Cool Hand Luke, but I already own a bike and  rifle named Lucile

Dave

[Steve from SoCal]

1 hour ago, mr. cob said:

Howdy Rocky,

I can't afford pants that don't have holes in the pockets, I just bought a Peterbilt. Now I have to save money for chicken lights and chrome.

Dave

That's the spirit,  you were fortunate that the storage doors have latches you can leave unlocked.    The 387 has keyed latches, no key no open.     Stashing a key on the frame is what I did.     

Maybe a headlight cleaning system is in order?        Lots of parts in bone yards to make a simple system.     

Enjoy your new ride.

 

Steve

     

[BlueLghtning]

I enjoyed the story of your travels and glad you were able to get back into your truck! 

 

[cactus]

Dave,

Your adventures even had my wife following.

"Where is he, hows the weather, any truck problems"

We are glad you are home and safe. Take a day off

And  Merry Christmas!