| Matthew's Log, Star Date 0611.05
This message is brought to you by: Sleep Inn "Stay here and sleep in!"
Hello folks! I'm logged in from my hotel room in Topeka, Kansas. I'm a little behind schedule (I should be staying in Missouri tonight), but when your car f's up along the way, setbacks like these happen. Let me explain -- a couple days ago I was on my way to Rock Springs, Wyoming. Around 100 miles from my destination, I decided I should refuel. Shortly before pulling off on the exit ramp, I heard a clunk. *uh oh* I think, but I don't hear anything else, so maybe it was just something I ran over...but when I went to hit the brakes I heard a terrible grinding sound and my car stopped moving, as though the brakes had locked up.  So at this point, I'm blocking the end of the freeway exit ramp. Traffic is piling up, a police officer comes , the tow truck comes , and I'm on my way to a repair shop . Unfortunately, they were already closed, so I wasn't going anywhere that night. I left a note in the shop's key drop box and checked myself into a hotel room. Then yesterday, after talking with the mechanics, they said that they wouldn't be getting to my car until late afternoon at the earliest (this is on a Friday and they don't work on weekends)! Dejected, I made some calls and discovered a small shop that could fit me in around 11:00. *wahoo!* The diagnosis -- Les Schwab screwed up when inspecting my brakes and made it possible for a bolt holding on the caliper joint to come out, and it did, causing the caliper to slip out of place and start binding (mechanic talk for grinding down) with the wheel. That explains both the clunk and the grind sound. Anyway, I was on my way a little after 2:00pm, putting me 6 hours behind schedule, but at least on the road before Monday. BTW, I'm supposed to report to work on Tuesday morning. That had potential for absolute disaster.
Since then, the trip has been uneventful, which is really nice. I enjoyed listening to a Book on CD that  Lisa sent me and replaying the same CDs several times over. And tonight, I shelled out $65 to stay at the Sleep Inn, which as a microwave, fridge, high speed internet, a sweet shower, and Coke machines within 10 feet of my door. What's even cooler is that I'm getting the Federal Government Discount at all the places I stay because I'm on orders. Yeah!
Anyway, that should bring everyone up to date. I'll see what I can do about getting back online in the next few days. But then again, the only mail I've gotten was junk mail and no one is online, so maybe I won't. I guess we'll see! Hope the summer is going well for you all. With that, peath out Napoleons! 
--H-BOMB out
© June 2005 All Rights Reserved
Disclaimer: The thoughts, words, and opinions contained herein do not necessarily reflect the view of the Halderman family, Matthew's hot girlfriend, his pet dogs (in order of age) Wimpie, Sweetie, Ranger, Bailey, and Cameo, his pet horses (in no particular order) Jeffy, Savannah, Lady, Squaw, Queen, Briana, K.P., and Windy, his cat Odo, or his goat Harley. The above comments are not endorsed by Xanga or the United States Air Force. Any questions, concerns, or comments should be directed to someone who cares at the email address of your choice or may be left by clicking on the Comments link at the bottom of this entry. |
