The reason for this is, that it is real, the story happened for a picture and I might have a bone to pick by the end of the post. No, I will, so keep reading.
The plane ride was great... met some interesting people and I'm traveling with Karen... its a first for us to be traveling together, so its real nice. My uncle Billy says if you can travel with a girl and not kill eachother... you probably have a good thing going. Karen's a peach.
I will cut to the chase... we rented a Jeep Grand Cherokee, 2009, brand new. When I mean new, I mean this SUV had just 4 miles on it. Yes, 4... 4-4-4-4. 4. New. I liked it alot. We picked it up in Connecticut at Dollar Rent-A-Car from an old aquaintence of mine, Ellen. She gave us a great deal, and when we got in the car, I thought, straight up, this was phatty boombalatti.
Wood grain interior, olive green in color and two tone dark grey and creme colored inside. Two toned seats, gated tip-tronic shifting, dual climate control (Karen loves this, she likes it hot, I like it cold), 4.7Litre V8 engine with plenty of power, All-Time 4WD with 4-low option if needed, Sirius Satellite Radio to keep you laughing, and a navigation screen with a camera when you throw it in reverse for vision. I mean really, really nice SUV. Must be running in the 35-42k range, just a guess. It also says "trail-rated" whatever the hell that means. I've rented these throughout the years for Phish concerts and various weekends out and this one just took the cake.
So we Jam up to see my brother Patrick in Bangor, ME... if you haven't been up here.. nice and not to be mean, just spare yourself. I love my brother but that place blows. I don't want to be a Negative Nelly but seriously, wow. We left for Portland further south of there as soon as we took my brother to a movie and dinner. It was real nice to see him. He's a bit mentally handicapped and lives in a group home up there with some really amazing people that take great care of him. I sigh relief but can't help feel a bit guilty living the life out in California. Back to the Jeep. We stay in a nice place in Portland, ME, The Regency Hotel in the Old Port section... beautiful place.
In the morning after walking around the shops, (not too many were open its kind of an off season) Karen and I headed West on the Route 25 towards New Hampshire, to the White Mountains I knew so well as a child. Lots of little towns along the way and trading posts and gas stations with local beef jerky and mud, sand, dirt and grime. Karen snoozed off and I passed a logging road going about 45 miles per hour... I had been thinking this Jeep's so nice I really wanted a sweet HDR shot for my portfolio... its new, we're going to some great country and I was sure to find a location. And Wawawoii here it was. As I pulled off the pavement and started through the ruts, the jeep bottomed out a bit and mind you it was raining so it was at least a foot and a half of mud and ruts... I kept thinking to myself, "nice mud and a detailed HDR shot... this is going to be sweet." Karen of course woke up in the ruckus and asked me sleepily what the hell I was doing... I didn't beat on the thing or push it hard.. I stepped on it a bit to get through... got up to the top of the hill were a couple of hardworking guys were standing there wondering who the moron was with the $40k SUV driving up their logging road. I got out in a button down with a sweater.. I must have looked real rugged and held up my big 1DS with a smile, "just wanted to take a picture," I muttered. I felt like a bonehead. Whatever I thought, "I'm a professional." I took my shots, kicked my feet off and got back in. Karen gave me a look and I turned the Jeep around and headed back out the way I came in. A little faster, as the spot I went through seemed a bit deeper and the ruts did too. It was, I bottomed out, but the Jeep kept on, and I got back out the main road... There was bit of grinding and rocks for a mile or so and other than some mud it seemed to be fine. Karen looks at me and says, "Honey I think you're really smart, but that was the dumbest thing I ever saw you do." I just laughed.
We stopped down the road with a few noises coming from the Jeep along the way. Getting out at a parking lot behind a closed pizza joint, we trekked over to a railroad bridge we saw and down the tracks.
It was cool little hike, there was still a bit of snow for the time of year but it was only 40 degrees. After getting back to the Jeep and starting it up, one of the digital readings for the tire pressure announces that it only had 22 lbs of pressure, whilst the rest of them has 36. Nice. I broke it. F-%$#@. Is what I was really thinking. The parts on this are going to be cheap. (insert sarcasm here). MMMMMMM. Karen was probably thinking the same.
We stop at a little spot called, Albany Service in Albany, New Hampshire. Little, little tiny place. A great garage though and the kid, Robert, took us right in. Apparently you could hear the air coming out of the right front tire. After a little swab of soap n water, nothing. After scrubbing the mud and dirt off the middle of the wheel, there was the leak. A nice gash in the aluminum rim from a rock. Trail-Rated. Yeah.
They welded the aluminum and fixed it up for $85. They get it all on and more rocks start grinding.
They dug quite a few out from each side after that from behind and in the calipers. Damn.
I'm sure a new rim woulda been a grip. mmmm $400 maybe? We'll keep this one a secret from Ellen from Dollar. We lucked out, its real nice, however I'm not sure I'd spend 40k on ripped aluminum.
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